Giving Tuesday is the global day of giving fueled by social media, teamwork, and advocacy. Founded in 2012, #GivingTuesday grew out of the 92nd Street Y’s Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact and is now a global charitable movement.

Some statistics say that 14.2 billion social media impressions and over 110 community coalitions were generated because of #GivingTuesday in 2018, indicating that supporters were contributing and connecting with organizations online.

If you’ve worked in the nonprofit sector for a long time, you’re aware of the significance of Giving Tuesday for nonprofits and why to make the most of it. The widely publicized day encourages people to donate, connect across social networks, and kicks off the year’s fundraising efforts.

Every day, iConnectX helps nonprofit NGOs make the most of their fundraising efforts with comprehensive and effective technologies. Here we will go through the best Giving Tuesday ideas, tips, and tactics we’ve gathered from our study and expertise.

7 Ideas for Successful Fundraising 

1] Videos are Essential

Video is one of the most effective fundraising techniques available for Giving Tuesday. According to Nonprofits Source, crowdsourcing campaigns that include personal videos raise 150 percent more money than those without. Additionally, tweets with videos receive 10 times the interaction as tweets without videos.

Images and video testimonies provide a clear picture of a problem or opportunity. Rather than reading about how far someone must go to obtain clean water, they can view the experience themselves. Viewers become emotionally involved and comprehend what their money or effort will achieve right away.

Videos for campaigns don’t have to be lengthy; they can be anything from thirty to sixty seconds in length. For effective storytelling, use compelling visuals and express the next step clearly.

2] Set up Online Fundraising Page

A successful fundraising campaign requires a fundraising website, a critical element on the Giving Tuesday to-do list. An effective website is necessary since the day is mainly driven by social media and internet donations.

To make donating easier for supporters, create a unique donation landing page for #GivingTuesday. Ensure that the page is responsive, quick to load, well-designed, and easy to understand.

The donor should locate the donation link – usually a button — within a few seconds of the page appearing. The optimal position for the link is on the page header, near the top navigation. Use a vibrant and eye-catching color to draw attention to the linked button.

3] Leverage #GivingTuesday to Increase Contributions and Recurring Donations

#GivingTuesday doesn’t have to be a one-day giving event; it may also catalyze a long-term commitment to generosity.

One of the best #GivingTuesday ideas to help you stand out and generate more donations year-round is to run a continuous fundraising drive or a “donate now pay later” campaign. This option breaks large gifts down into payments made over a set period, usually completed within a year.

4] Make it Multichannel

To acquire the most attention for your donation campaign, send a single message across numerous channels since multichannel campaigns lay the foundation for a successful Giving Tuesday.

Single medium outreach, like on Facebook, may lead to potential supporters missing out on your campaign. Creating multichannel campaigns across social networks and email maximizes donor reach.

The best course of action is to cover all the bases while keeping your request clear and specific. A concise, thorough statement establishes trust and assures donors their contributions will be put to good use. Your organization can leverage iConnectX to ensure your campaign remains multichannel.

5] Showcase Progress

It’s critical to display real-time progress to your donors, especially with short-term campaigns like Giving Tuesday. Consider displaying a graphic like a fundraising thermometer or a meter on your website to demonstrate your success.

Progress trackers offer donors encouragement and feedback as they follow along with the campaign’s progress. The most basic way progress monitors influence donors is through instant fulfillment and social proof.

6] Collaborate with Businesses and Influencers

Partnerships and endorsements provide access to potential contributors as well as providing publicity. Regarding our first idea about videos, collaborations and endorsements are possibly the quickest way to maximize views and engagement.

When choosing a collaborator, consider organizations and personalities that appeal to a similar demographic to yours. For example, if you run a health-related nonprofit that concentrates on women over 40, consider partnering with a vitamin store or grocery store that caters to that demographic.

7] Matching Gifts

Partnering with businesses that offer matching contributions to donations made by employees or the public at large is one of the most successful ways to fundraise on #GivingTuesday and throughout the year. Matching gifts involve sponsors and contributors making contributions up to a given amount for a set period or a specific dollar amount. For example, a sponsor or contributors can pledge to match gifts up to $5000, or they could commit to matching all donations made on #GivingTuesday between 3-6 pm. According to Double the Donation, matching contributions in campaign appeals boost response rates by 71% and raise average donation amounts by 51%. (https://doublethedonation.com/matching-grant-resources/matching-gift-statistics/)

Tips to Ensure a Successful #GivingTuesday Fundraiser

A] Plan and Be Flexible

To ensure your campaign is a success, begin at least 3 – 4 months in advance. Hold a brainstorming session and recap previous campaigns in the initial meeting. Evaluate the theme and elements of your team’s prior year to revamp to succeed the new campaign. Set goals, brand narrative, and plan design elements, and the team needed to complete these tasks. You can use the SMART method to decide on your goals.

Once goals are in place, finalize your campaign’s budget and message and evaluate staffing and volunteer needs. Similarly, identify a pipeline of sponsors for matching your gift campaign and compile a list of donors. Also, think about what has previously worked for your organization and map out how you want to inspire your audience.

B] Prepare

Before campaign kickoff, consider including the following elements in your preparations:

• Create a folder to keep track of everything relevant to Giving Tuesday. It should be easily accessible to all parties concerned.
• Craft your fundraising messaging with care — make it clear what you’re attempting to accomplish and why it matters
• Create and assemble campaign assets
• Write content, create visuals, and consider what marketing materials the campaign will need. Also, plan a few social media posts and emails ahead of time.
• Consider logistics – assign the team with clear responsibilities
• Create the campaign’s fundraising landing page where potential donors and supporters can find essential details and make donations

C] Launch

We recommend starting with a soft launch to gather early feedback and build a social presence by requesting early donations. Inform supporters of your objective, the impact of their contributions, any matching gifts campaigns, major sponsors, and inform your audience of special incentives in place when you officially open your campaign.

How iConnectX helps

 Find your way to Giving Tuesday campaign success by implementing the basic concepts outlined here. Utilizing a platform like iConnectX streamlines #GivingTuesday events and campaigns any time of year. Our software can increase donations and maximize audience reach; we make it simple to set up and brand your campaign. Additionally, all our forms are conversion-optimized, mobile-optimized, and payment-optimized, ensuring that your site receives more donations.

Let us know how your campaign performs on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year. iConnectX is here to assist!

There are occasions organizations, and individuals alike need fundraising inspiration to spark a campaign, inject life into an existing campaign, or funds for an emergency.

The nonprofit fundraising landscape changed remarkably in 2020, and fundraising techniques adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to stay. For over a year, virtual events replaced in-person ones. For the past decade-plus, the preference for online donating increased. While virtual events are likely to stay, many nonprofit supporters want a return to in-person engagements; a mix of traditional and virtual fundraising will attract donors and increase more funds.

We’ve curated a list of twenty engaging fundraising ideas for in-person and virtual engagements we know you, donors, and sponsors will love. Ready? Read on!

Twenty effective and engaging fundraising event ideas for nonprofits and charities:

1. Online Auctions

Always an effective and popular in-person event, online auctions are an option, too. Like an in-person auction, attendees bid on items through an online auction platform. The nonprofit invites item bids, sets bid minimums and processes payments online. A key benefit of online auctions is the potential for global reach. This makes the auction more competitive than an in-person event. A wider audience brings in a more significant amount of support. Furthermore, the nonprofit saves money on venue charges, refreshments, and other overhead expenses.

2. Mobile Fundraising

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use smartphones – so nonprofits cannot afford to miss out on such a broad user base. Whether by app, text, or mobile-

optimized website, mobile giving is simple to use. Besides, it’s a straightforward way for donors to support while on the go; also, mobile giving encourages impulse donations.

How mobile phones are used for fundraising:

• Responsive websites: To be effective and to keep up with the millions of screens out there, a site with responsive design delivers optimal user experience, whether they’re on a laptop, smartphone, tablet, or desktop; they should also be easy to navigate with an intuitive interface and a prominent “donate” call to action.
• Text Messages: Text messages are effective for fundraising, and they are fast — they are performed within seconds
• Text-to-give: Text-to-give is one of the simplest methods that a nonprofit can offer donors to contribute to charities. The donor needs to message a keyword provided by the nonprofit to a short code, with the donated amount charged to the phone bill. The nonprofit collects donation from the mobile service provider.
• Text-to-donate: The donor texts the keyword to a short code in this method. They are directed to a form to furnish contact and payment information.
• Scan to give: This is a method where donors scan a QR code provided by the nonprofit to donate.

3. Peer-to-peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is when your volunteers and supporters promote your fundraiser among their social circle for raising funds, thereby increasing the user base. The digital age ushered in an expedient way for supporters to spread the word about your nonprofit causes on social media. Also, peer-to-peer social media promotions are free!

4. Encourage Recurring Donations

Recurring donations are convenient for donors on a fixed budget or who desire to plan their giving. Erica Waasdorp, author of Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant and contributor to NonproitPRO, says that “donors typically give four times more than donors who only make on-time gifts.”

5. Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are donations companies make to nonprofits to match an employee donation, usually at a 1:1 ratio or higher. We recommend charities select organizations whose mission is aligned to your nonprofit.

Now, let’s look at ways to utilize events to garner support for your nonprofit:

6. Fundraising Events:

In-person fundraising events are back on the scene, and supporters look forward to gathering with other like-minded folks. Suppose your organization or your supporters are looking for a virtual or hybrid event; iConnectX can help you set it up and manage it. IConnectX offers Zoom and other conferencing technology integration as well.

Events can be held in-person, virtually, or hybrid. One option is to schedule your event around a holiday or a specific time of year.

Ideas include:

• December holidays
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Summer holidays — a summer white party is always a popular adult option, Independence Day barbecues, Memorial Day, Labor Day
• Fall tailgates
• Costume parties around Halloween
• March Madness
• Super Bowl
• College bowl games
• World Cup
• NHL playoffs and Stanley Cup Championship
• Major League Baseball games
• New Year’s Eve
• Patrick’s Day
• Anniversary galas

7. Concerts

An engaging event is a live music concert where local, regional, and nationally recognized musicians perform live and in-person or virtual. The nonprofit receives the net amount of funds after any operating, venue, and artists fees.

8. Virtual Parties

Host a virtual theme party any time of year! Most of the events we’ve listed here can be held virtually; we suggest timing the event around a meal so everyone is joined together at the same time.

9. Educational and Informative Events

You can organize events focused entirely on your nonprofit’s mission. Subject experts from your organization, supporters, sponsors, scholars, and more to provide insightful presentations. It’s also a wise idea to invite people who’ve benefitted from your organization’s help as testimonials to your work.

10. Organize Classes

Classes like cooking or yoga classes are popular options. Choose a chef or Yoga instructor to lead the class virtually, in-person or hybrid. Contributions are made when supporters sign up for the class. Often, organizations will offer an option for an additional donation upon registration.

11. 5k events, Running Events, and Walk-a-thons

Active events like these are back! Many supporters form teams of friends and family. These teams often have coordinated outfits or tee shirts, solicit sponsorship, and host pre or post-event gatherings to raise team fellowship and additional money. The Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Race for the Cure® and is arguably one of the best-performing and well-known nonprofit events in history. If you know of a nonprofit that’s held an event similar to the one you would like to organize, visit their website to create an event blueprint for your own organization.

12. Competitions

When it comes to in-person fundraisers, competitions and contests are fun ways to engage supporters. Cooking, baking, road rallies, recreational sports – anything you think is competitive. An entry fee can serve as the primary means to raise funds.

13. Karaoke

A time-honored and engaging event, karaoke brings out the performer in everybody. This event can be done in-person or virtually; raise funds by charging entrance fees and offering sponsorships.

14. Talent Shows

Talent shows are engaging events that can be held online or offline. Invite donors, sponsors, the community (local comedians, dancers, musicians, and singers). Funds can be raised through the entry fee for the event, and if your event is in person, you can sell t-shirts, souvenirs, and concessions throughout the show.

15. Raise Funds by Selling Used Books

Collect used books from local libraries, revitalizing their stacks, local bookstores, colleges, and supporters. Sell these books through your website or social media pages; this is a valuable way to recycle books and raise funds for a cause.

16. Garage or White Elephant Sales

Encourage your supporters and volunteers to host their own sales and donate proceeds to your organization or have supporters sell simultaneously in the same venue. Funds are raised through ticket sales, concessions, and item sales.

To make your event manageable and to ensure a seamless flow, a fundraising platform like iConnectX can make it easy for you to host fundraisers for your nonprofit. iConnectX enables nonprofits to organize and promote events with ticket sale capabilities, customizable URLs and landing pages, guest list and RSVP management, and secure payment processing.

17. Seasonal Product Sales

Product sales engage the community at large and supporters. Here are a few ideas for seasonal products:

• Hand-knit sweaters in the wintertime
• December wreath, garland, and Christmas tree sales
• Spring flowers (Mother’s Day!)
• Candles (around Christmas time or anytime)
• Pumpkins

17. Multi-Channel Engagement

For example, connect with donors through multiple channels, like social media, email marketing, and online fundraising page. Make sure that you have a solid online presence because this is where your donors will connect with your nonprofit and one another, which builds communities and supporter networks.

18. Effective Communication

Communicate with your existing and potential donors through different digital channels: text messages, emails, social media posts, and online newsletters, for example. Video messages on social networks, including YouTube, are highly effective in attracting donations. We suggest you overcome shyness and show the world your and your organization’s personality!

20. Competitive Tasks

Have a timed task for your supporters to complete and post videos to a social media channel of your choosing. This is a prime occasion to use hashtags and tagging to grow awareness of your organization. This type of outreach and promotion helps attract website visitors, find volunteers, and increase cause awareness.

Ideas for competitive tasks include:

• Soapbox derby cars – arrange to hold the race at a future date for even more fundraising and promotional opportunities
• Christmas tree decorating
• Sport-related challenges for individuals, like “most shots on the net in 60 seconds” for hockey and soccer, for example
• Activities like the Ice Bucket Challenge

The Takeaway

A heartfelt mission with dedicated staff and volunteers can accomplish a lot no matter what you decide to do. iConnectX helps simplify and streamline event management so your organization can engage with supporters and run events rather than being tied to administrative duties.

Our platform offers:

• Dedicated URLs and customizable landing pages
• Ticket sales
• Invitations
• RSVP management
• Guestlist communication
• Virtual hosting capabilities
• Secure payment processing
• Recurring donation capabilities
• Auctions
• And much more!

We hope you find some from encouragement this list! If you did finds inspiration, tried any of these ideas, or wat to share your own, please share with us by commenting below or reaching out on social media. We’d love to hear from you!

You can find us on:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

The new year beckons and nonprofits watch marketing trends to step up their presence and marketing game.  Keeping abreast of changes while creating a marketing plan is crucial to achieving desired results.

We’ve collected a list of nonprofit marketing trends that nonprofits must watch for and plan around next year, marketing goal setting, strategies, and tools to help you have a successful year. Are you excited to move into 2022? Let’s go!

Trends:

Event management and fundraising platforms

Technology stays at the forefront of nonprofit management, marketing, fundraising, and events. A platform like iConnectX assists with:

• Auction and event ticketing
• Secure checkout and payments
• Easy to use administrative pages
• Customizable event and campaign webpages
• Virtual event capabilities

The platform you chose should make commitment requirements, payment processing and subscription fees clear upfront

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI’s presence in nonprofits will expand with a shift toward automation, primarily focused on routine administrative tasks and customer service – think chatbots.

Digital Marketing

A well-planned digital strategy is a key to achieving goals. An online presence is required to reach the maximum amount of people in the shortest amount of time. According to Statista, over 223 million Americans – that’s more than 70 percent of the U.S. population — held a social media account in 2020. The number of social media users is expected to increase to 243 million by 2025.  Video fundraising and marketing on the web are also essential considerations in digital marketing, which leads us to look at them independently.

Video Marketing

Video marketing is flourishing in 2021 and will continue to grow next year. Video is an integral part of any digital marketing strategy, nonprofits included. It is a primary channel for many nonprofits to achieve outreach and fundraising goals, and video often garners more engagements and donations than any other social media content. You can find free and inexpensive tools to help create compelling and shareable videos.

 Mobile Applications

Mobile-friendly marketing, apps and mobile donating improve access by allowing supporters and sponsors to contribute and access information quickly. Considering that the number of smartphone users in the U.S. is expected to reach over 271 million people, this is a trend that will grow.

If your nonprofit is on the fence about mobile giving, take a look at this data from the fundraising statistics firm, Double the Donation:

• Online donation pages had an average conversion rate of 8% on mobile devices last year, but the number of transactions completed through mobile devices increased by 50%.
• The number of donations completed through desktop browsers decreased by 10%.
• Half of all nonprofit website traffic last year came from mobile and tablet users. The share of desktop-based traffic decreased by 9% over the previous year.
• The average gift by mobile users is $79, while tablet users give $96, and desktop users give $118.

Monthly Donations

Recurring donations provide a consistent revenue stream, make budgeting and planning a little more flexible, and builds long-term relationships with donors that may lead to planned gifts. According to a 2020 M+R Benchmarks study, monthly giving amounts to “about 17 percent of all online revenue in one calendar year.”

Crypto Giving

The total number of cryptocurrency users is impossible to define, but estimates range from 120 to 220 people worldwide.  The Giving Block, a provider of a nonprofit cryptocurrency ecosystem, projects $1 billion in crypto donations will be processed in 2022.

Hybrid Events

Online and virtual events will continue to grow in the coming years. Remote working tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and other platforms that allow attendees to participate virtually took hold during the global pandemic and will never leave. Nonprofits discovered the potential donor reach and cost benefits of online events; a hybrid event allows attendees to participate in-person or online. Creating a hybrid event makes it affordable, flexible, agile, and reaches more supporters and broader audiences. iConnectX is a platform that provides nonprofits with all the tools needed for an online, hybrid, or in-person event, including ticketing, landing pages, auctions, and more.

Establish Your Goals

There are two types of goals to establish for every period: long-term and short-term. The objectives define the roadmap your strategies need for direction. Consider the time-testing goal setting method, SMART objectives:

• (S) Smart
• (M) Measurable
• (A) Achievable
• (R) Realistic
• (T) Timely

All stakeholders should be clear as to the following:

• What your nonprofit expects to achieve and the timeline
• Who is responsible for what goal
• How the goals relate to your nonprofit’s vision
• Budgets

Tactics

Let’s circle back to digital marketing and outline ways to boost online presence.

Website Design

A helpful and well-designed website makes a solid first impression in the nonprofit world. User-friendly navigation and intuitive design are critical to maintaining an online presence. Optimize your pages for maximum load speeds, mobile-friendly, and accessible to everyone. Optimization includes SEO, content creation, graphic design, and user experience.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

We mentioned this as a part of website design. SEO is a set of practices designed to improve the appearance and positioning of web pages in organic (user-generated) search results. Because organic search is the most prominent way for people to discover and access online content, a good SEO strategy is essential for improving the quality and quantity of traffic to your website. Publishing high-quality and relevant content ensures users will stay on your site for longer times and increase engagement.

Social Media Marketing

We mentioned this above in trends. Social media marketing is more than getting “likes.” Yes, likes are a key performance indicator, yet there are more pieces to the puzzle than that.

Social platforms and social listening tools help organizations succeed. Social sites and apps let users create, share and network quickly and inexpensively. Social media allows an organization to tell its story, engage with supporters, get and retain attention, increase awareness, and fundraise. Your organization should integrate a social strategy with your nonprofit’s goals and the target audience.

Designate specific staff, interns or volunteers to keep up with social media and interact with your audience – frequent posts and interactions boost visibility and community engagement. With creativity and a little humor, you can create a dialogue with supporters that help them feel like part of your cause rather than like a cash machine.

Email Marketing

We suggest continuing to use email marketing. It’s still relevant, and it is a highly effective fundraising tool. Many donors prefer to receive emails over postal mail, and these emails can inspire donors to give again. Email marketing is a cost-effective, proven strategy that builds relationships with supporters and helps convert one-time donors into recurring donors. A platform like iConnectX can help you connect the dots between promotion, campaign, emails, and your donor database.

Data Analysis Tools

Nonprofits are like any other business in that they actively use data and analytics tools. Analytics help nonprofits streamline their operations, enhance donations, effectively utilize resources, and optimize outreach.

Next Steps

Of course, the key to leveraging marketing trends is a solid marketing foundation — dial-in on your organization’s personality to find its voice. Telling your organization’s story in its unique voice creates a distinct presence that will shine through and resonate with your audience.

The last year and a half demonstrated we all need to remain flexible. Flexibility is a great strategy – agile organizations can navigate challenging times and adapt to changing circumstances. All of this allows an organization to stay stable in the long run.

iConnectX is a tool your organization can leverage to stay on top of goals with features like:

• Auctions – hybrid, in-person and virtual. iConnectX auction management includes ticketing, online bidding and secure payments
• AI – iConnectX offers a text-to-give donation feature that’s easy to use and convenient for donors
• A custom event or campaign landing page with a unique URL
• Event invitation, guest list and donor messaging capabilities

Reach out to iConnectX today and let us show you how to make the most of your events and fundraising efforts!

As the year ends, it’s time to level-set, review successes and analyze our challenges. It’s also the end of the year, which means it’s giving season for nonprofits. Charities are pushing for end-of-year donations as many supporters feel particularly generous during the holidays – and look for yearly tax breaks.

The pandemic gained traction in many places and that means nonprofits will continue to find creative ways to engage with donors and host events. One thing we know for sure is that virtual events are here to stay. What else is in store for

The nonprofit sector has adapted quite well to the pandemic situation in the past two years implementing changes like virtual events, non-contact payment options, etc.

Here’s an overview of the Top Fundraising Trends for 2022:

1. Virtual Events are Here to Stay

In 2020, many nonprofits started utilizing virtual and digital fundraising. From online auctions to peer-to-peer fundraising, online strategies dominate. Nonprofits have found these fundraising strategies effective, as have donors. Online and virtual fundraising is no longer a novel concept – it’s the norm – and supporters expect it.

2. Online Donations

COVID protocol insists on minimizing contact. Therefore, offering non-contact payment options to donors is mandatory. Non-contact payment is safe and easy way for nonprofit supporters to engage with their cause of choice.

Some of the popular methods for non-contact payment are:

Scan to Give:

In scan-to-give, a nonprofit provides a QR code for donors. This is a fats, simple and secure way to donate since software donation tools employ multiple levels of security.

Text to Give:

Text to give is another effective donation option. In this method, the donor messages a keyword to a short code number. The donation amount is then tacked on to the donor’s monthly mobile phone bill, with the service provider donating to the nonprofit. This popular donation method works well for donors since they do not need to create any new online accounts with their nonprofit of choice.

Text to Donate:

Like text to give, the donor sends a keyword to a short code. Then, the supporter is directed to an online donation to complete the donation.

Cashless Donations:

Cashless donation options like using credit cards and debit cards are far from new, and they’re not going anywhere. Credit cards offer a safe and secure mode of transfer and are suited for recurring donations.

Blockchain:

A convenient contactless method of donating to charities, blockchain facilitates global and secure payments easily. A benefit of a blockchain payment is that the donors do not incur any currency exchange fees when donating internationally. Blockchain technology processes data safely and mitigates fraud.

Cryptocurrency:

Charities can boost donations by accepting payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Stellar. People like using cryptocurrencies because they are easily transferable; however, they do incur securities and can be overly complex compared to other modes of cashless donations.

3. Social Media Promotions are Necessary

As per Statista 2020, there are currently 3.78 billion daily social media. This amounts to 48% of the total world population and the number of users increases daily. It is critical for nonprofits to leverage the power of social media marketing in order to reach the largest potential audience.

When employing social media marketing, it’s important to pinpoint the social channels used by your  target audience. Social media channels offer users access to statistics like reach, link click, likes, and shares.

Social media campaigns tailored to the target audience and their social media use allow advertisers to reach the right audience at the right time, making it an effective way to reach a wide audience for fundraisers.

Social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn allow nonprofits to communicate their key messages to supporters (and potential supporters). Creative and strategic brand storytelling on social media helps organizations hit their supporter’s “sweet spot” by addressing their issues and they outcomes donors seek from charitable organizations.

4. Don’t Miss out on Email Marketing

Today’s customers demand personalized attention. Email Marketing is the best digital marketing strategy to provide a personalized experience to your donors. Build a rapport with your audience with regular emails. Make sure that you acknowledge the donations made and send regular emails in the form of newsletters, etc. to keep your subscribers. Inform your subscribers of any fundraising event you plan to host. You can encourage them to be a part of your fundraiser through peer-to-peer fundraising, etc.

5. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will Make its Presence in the Realms of Nonprofits

Automation is making headway in various sectors to take over routine tasks and offer more time to employees for creative activities. Automation will provide several benefits in the nonprofit sector as well. Nonprofit organizations will have more time for activities other than mundane everyday tasks. This will offer them time for innovative thinking to create more engaging events, etc.

COVID 19 pandemic has created a shortage of staff in various sectors. The nonprofit sector is also experiencing issues with the workforce in terms of shortage of volunteers and others. AI is an inexpensive way of minimizing labor-intensive tasks. Automation works seamlessly to help nonprofits to achieve their goals.

2022 will see more nonprofits using AI to boost their efforts.

6. Fundraising Platforms

Any digital fundraisers or contactless giving may be hosted using a fundraising platform. These platforms help in organizing virtual events, facilitating different payment modes, organizing social media marketing campaigns, email marketing campaigns, and more.

Each platform has its unique set of features to facilitate organizing various types of events, etc. These platforms are available at different prices.

Make sure to check the features of the platform and select the one that is best suited for nonprofit functions.

iConnectx is a platform that includes all the features required to host any type of fundraising event. It also facilitates secure and quick payment options. iConnectx also includes features for effective marketing campaigns for nonprofits.

iConnectx will take your nonprofit’s fundraising seamlessly to 2022!

As the Christmas of 2021 beckons, are you ready with your fundraising ideas for donations for your cause on Christmas?

Year-end is the time when Giving features in most people’s minds. And, this is the best time for nonprofits to think of fundraising ideas to encourage donors.

Have you geared up for Christmas and thought about how you will collect donations for your cause?

Get Festive with these 15 powerful Christmas Fundraising Ideas for your Nonprofit:

1. Choose a Good Cause

Nonprofits always raise funds for important causes. However, when the spirit of Christmas is in the air, make sure to choose a cause that donors feel connected to and are motivated to give. For instance, it is a good idea to raise funds for donating to the underprivileged section of society. Donors are more likely to contribute where they can uplift someone during Christmas!

2. Make your Christmas Themed Fundraiser

Create a fundraiser where you tell the donors that they are gifting someone during Christmas.

Share Christmas-themed creatives to promote your fundraiser on social media and your website.

You can include a fundraising thermometer with a deadline of Christmas day to create urgency among donors.

3. Promote your Fundraiser on Online and Offline Platforms

Christmas is a time when people are on the move, preparing for the festivities, buying gifts, or meeting people.

Make sure to promote your fundraiser extensively on online platforms and on prominent places, billboards, etc. where passers-by cannot miss it.

4. Make it Easy to Donate

You do not want to miss out on donations because your donors find it cumbersome to donate.

Make sure that your website is easy to navigate and donors can easily reach the Donate Now button.

Responsive websites are a must to make it easy for donors on the move.

Ensure that your forms are not too complicated and offer hassle-free registrations.

Include donation buttons on social media pages.

Send personalized emails to your subscribers informing them about your fundraiser and encouraging them to donate.

Offer mobile giving options like Text to give, text to donate, and scan to give.

These methods encourage donors to give when they see a hoarding or flyer about your fundraiser at any time from anywhere. These methods encourage impulse giving and you don’t want to miss out on these.

5. Matching Gifts

Gifting is the highlight of the Christmas season. Matching gifts is a way to raise funds where corporates donate an amount equal to the amount a nonprofit has generated.

You can contact the HR representatives of corporates and tell them about your cause and ask for donations. Many nonprofits miss out on the matching gifts option for fundraising.

Christmas is the best time to approach corporates for matching gifts.

6. Organize a Gift Wrapping Party

Wondering what a gift wrapping party is?

Everyone is short on time during Christmas with too much on their hands. Gift Wrapping is among the many things to be accomplished during the festive season. So, why not take this task off their list?

Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a team of volunteers to do the gift wrapping for people in the community.
• Designate a specific day close to Christmas day for gift wrapping.
• Host a gift wrapping party where you decorate the venue according to the Christmas theme. Invite all volunteers for wrapping the gifts together.
• You can have Christmas-themed dressing for the party.
• Make it a fun event by playing Christmas carols in the background.
• Offer Christmas treats to everyone at the party. You can get these treats as a donation from bakers/chefs, etc.
• You can reduce the expense of gift wrapping by procuring all wrapping material as a donation.
• You raise funds for your cause by charging an amount for the gift wrapping service you provide.

The party can be an offline or a virtual one depending on the COVID protocols at that time. In case of a virtual event, you can get everyone to dress according to the Christmas theme and join the event over a Zoom call. Volunteers can wrap the gifts from their homes and interact with others virtually.

7. Christmas Treats

Fundraising can be done by offering Christmas treats. You can partner with some local chefs and ask each one of them to make a different Christmas treat. You can also indicate the exact quantity of the treat. Display all these treats on your website by creating a special page for them. When someone orders a specific item from your website, you can inform the concerned baker and ask them to arrange the delivery. The partner bakers will increase the visibility of their products and services. The nonprofit raises funds from the amount collected when people purchase these treats from the website.

Make sure to clearly display the items and their prices. Offer a secure and simple payment method. Promote this offer on online platforms and through emails to your subscribers.

8. Donating Christmas

Donating Christmas is another great way of generating funds during Christmas. The concept of donating Christmas is similar to donating Birthdays where you ask people to donate to your charity instead of purchasing Christmas gifts.

You can reach donors by:

Promoting the fundraiser on your website and social media pages.

Sending emails to all subscribers requesting them to spread the word in their network.

You can also leverage peer-to-peer fundraising to reach a wider donor base. Ask your donors and supporters to ask people in their network to donate to your charity. Donors and supporters can share the details of the fundraiser on their social media pages to reach their network.

9. Share on Partner’s Social Media

This is a fundraising strategy where you connect with corporates, etc., and use their social media pages to promote your fundraiser. This helps you promote the fundraiser directly to their network and increases the funds raised.

10. Christmas Decorating Services

Everyone wants to decorate their homes during Christmas and have a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree at home. You can offer Christmas decoration services at a fee that will add to the funds raised.

11. Provide Christmas Trees

Buy Christmas trees wholesale and sell them at a profit. You can create your own Christmas tree outlet if you have the space. Decorate the outlet with Christmas decorations and lights. Play carols in the background to give a festive fervor.

12. Christmas Gift Boxes

Create Christmas gift baskets or gift boxes with assorted items. Collect items of different price ranges to create differently priced baskets to suit all budgets.

Display gift baskets/boxes on your website. Nonprofits generate funds when these gift items are purchased. Make sure that you clearly indicate the contents of the gift box/basket so that buyers can choose their gifts easily.

Promote these Christmas gifts on the various online message that buyers will be giving a “double gift” if they purchase from you. The first gift is when they gift the purchased item to someone and the second gift is the cause they will support with funds raised through the sale. Provide a simple and secure method of payment to donors.

13. Christmas Cards

Living in an online world, we are inclined to send ecards to our friends and family. But, did you know that there is a huge market for handmade cards?

You can have a team of volunteers make handmade cards and sell them to raise funds.

14. Christmas Carols

Get a group of supporters to sing carols at an event or they can go door to door and sing. You can set up a crowdfunding campaign with your supporters so that they can share their personal funding pages with their social groups and family.

Engage the audience by offering customization of the playlist according to their choice of songs.

Here’s how you can facilitate it:

Members of the audience can be asked to text a keyword to a number.

When they do so, they will be guided to a mobile-friendly form in which they can furnish their details and add the song of their choice.

15. Christmas Gala Dinner

The festive season is a time for dinners and galas. Your nonprofit can organize a Christmas Gala Dinner. The gala may be an offline one or a virtual one. Fundraising can be done by charging an entry fee for the event. Use all your creativity to host an event that your audience will remember!

These are some ideas for raising funds during Christmas. Put on your thinking caps and make fundraising an incredible experience for your audience!

Make sure to keep track of your fundraising goals so that you raise enough to make the Christmas of the disadvantaged section of society worthwhile!

iConnectx offers a platform to streamline all your fundraising efforts!

Merry Christmas!

We are at the end of 2021! And year-end is the time when nonprofits need to perk up to attract donors! Innovative fundraising ideas are needed by nonprofits to make them stand out in the highly competitive market!

This period is not just for hosting fundraisers but also for the time to acknowledge donors and express gratitude to them.

One of the main highlights of the holiday season in the United States is giving back to the community. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November and ushers in the holiday season in the United States.

And, what better time to thank donors than on Thanksgiving?

Here are some interesting trivia about Thanksgiving!

Did you know that Thanksgiving started in the year 1620? Here’s a brief history of Thanksgiving! In 1620 a small ship by the name Mayflower carrying 120 pilgrims set out from England looking for a place where these pilgrims could practice their faith in peace.

Mayflower found its destination in America, then called the New World. The first-ever Thanksgiving was celebrated when the Wampanoag native Americans and these colonists shared an autumn harvest feast. The harvest was the outcome of their joint efforts and so they celebrated together in Plymouth, which is known as Massachusetts today.

And, the tradition of expressing gratitude and celebrating has carried on for years. Food is the chief focus area of Thanksgiving with roast/fried Turkey being the special dish. There is a lot of fun and fervor during Thanksgiving and fun activities like parades, etc. are organized during Thanksgiving.

So, before we get into ideas to raise funds or attract donors, let us start the festive season traditionally by thanking them!

Thanking your donors makes them feel special. They feel connected and know that they are cared for. This helps build loyalty to your brand.

Although you must be sending them automated emails to thank them for their donations, you need to add a personal touch!

Here are some ways of thanking your donors on Thanksgiving:

• The senior executives such as the directors, etc. in your nonprofit can make personal phone calls to donors to speak to them and thank them.
• You can send them letters highlighting their contribution to the charity. For instance, you can explain the total funds raised for cause the donor might have contributed towards and how significant their donation was. And, send a personal thank you note for that.
• Ever since digital media made a huge impact on our lives, sending physical letters and cards seems to have become a thing of the past. But a personalized, handwritten Thank you card or a letter has a more lasting impact on an individual. So, you can send personalized Thank you cards to your donors on Thanksgiving to acknowledge their contributions.
• Thanksgiving is a good time to acknowledge the efforts of your volunteers as well. Some ideas for this are sending them discount coupons, gift vouchers, etc.
• Another idea is to celebrate Thanksgiving with your donors, volunteers and all is by throwing a party! You could think of a virtual party over a Zoom meeting. Usually, nonprofits organize parties for fundraising purposes but hosting a party to thank the donors will make them feel really special.
• You can also thank your donors on social media. Different social media channels have a large user base. So, acknowledging donors on social media platforms means giving them a shout-out in a public forum and this can be really exciting for them.

Close on the heels of Thanksgiving is Giving Tuesday which falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Giving Tuesday came into existence in 2012 when 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation came together and decided to specify a day to celebrate the generosity of Giving, a great American Tradition.

Giving Tuesday is celebrated each year to encourage individuals, families, corporates, institutions, schools, etc. to donate to the less privileged members of society. Giving Tuesday is celebrated with great gusto when donations are made not only in the form of funds but also in other ways. For instance, blood donation drives, donating food from homes to local pantries, and more.

It comes as no surprise then that it is this part of the year when maximum donations are received by nonprofits. Data reveals that 25% or more of the annual giving in the US takes place during the last 3 months of the year! (Source: https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/thanksgiving-fundraising-ideas/)

So, now that it is that time of the year when people are motivated to give, nonprofits can create fundraisers where donors can easily donate.

Here are 10 Simple but Powerful Thanksgiving Fundraising Ideas:

1. Organize a Thanksgiving Themed Giveaway on Social Media

Create a buzz on social media and encourage donors to give with a giveaway. You can partner with a local business and offer a gift card or discount coupon for every donation made. This is a win-win situation for all parties. The nonprofit encourages donors and is likely to receive more donations. The donors receive something in exchange for the donations they make. And, the business sponsoring the gift voucher, etc. gets an opportunity to reach a wider audience and foster partnerships.

2. Giving Tuesday

This is a day to celebrate the generosity of Americans. You will not want to miss out on this opportunity to raise funds for your nonprofit.

Make sure that your website loads quickly and offers a seamless user experience on both desktop and mobile devices.

Ensure that the website is easy to navigate and the donation buttons are easy to locate.

Offer an exclusive Giving Tuesday donation button on your website.

Facilitate online donations through simple and secure methods like text-to-give/donate, scan to give, etc.

Send regular emails just before Giving Tuesday to your subscribers to let them know what you are planning for the day and how they can participate.

Create urgency for donating. Specify a deadline within which donors need to contribute to a specific charity.

3. Host a Thanksgiving Raffle

Thanksgiving is a time for fun and celebrations and off-course giving. You can hold online raffles and give exciting rewards to the winners such as an exotic holiday to a tropical island, etc.

4. Organize Thanksgiving Marathon

Host a 5k or 10k marathon to raise funds during Thanksgiving. Integrate crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising into this. Ask the participants to collect donations for the event through their peer-to-peer fundraising pages. This will not only increase participation but also the funds generated.

5. Host a Thanksgiving Themed Bake Sale

Depending on the circumstances and the number of donors, you can decide on a physical or a virtual thanksgiving themed bake sale.

Here’s how it works:

• Make a list of Thanksgiving favorites like apple pie or pumpkin treats, etc.
• Onboard bakers who can bake Thanksgiving treats. Get the bakers to commit to baking specific treats and the number of items they will prepare.
• Create a dedicated page on your website that includes a list of items with relevant images, prices, and donation links.
• Promote the page on social media and direct your audience to the above page. Once the donor chooses specific items from the list, send the order details to the baker.
• The baker delivers the ordered items to the donor.

6. Thanksgiving Gift Baskets

Thanksgiving is all about gifting and gift baskets are a popular choice for gifts. Create gift baskets with assorted items. Make different baskets in different price ranges to suit varying budgets. You can sell these baskets to donors.

7. Thanksgiving Pumpkin Sale

Pumpkins are akin to Thanksgiving. So, host a thanksgiving pumpkin sale by buying pumpkins wholesale from the local market or other sources. Sell pumpkins at a higher price at a farmer’s market or set up your own Thanksgiving-themed marketing outlet.

8. Offer Services

You can volunteer to give services in exchange for donations. For instance, yards get messy in the fall and it takes a lot of time and effort to get them cleaned. You can offer yard cleanup to your donors in exchange for donations.

9. Thanksgiving Party

Everyone loves parties! Host a physical/virtual party for donors and volunteers. Charge an entry fee for the party and use the money for charity. Donors will be excited to attend the party and they will willingly pay the entry fee if they know it is for supporting a cause.

10. Thanksgiving Gifting

Partner with different local businesses that offer products relevant to Thanksgiving. Create a catalog of these products. You can also offer services such as yard cleanup, etc. in the catalog. Make an attractive catalog and share it on social media and other online channels. You can raise funds when donors purchase these products/services.

These are some ideas for raising funds during Thanksgiving. You can don your thinking hats and think of some out-of-the-box ideas to make Thanksgiving special for your donors!

2020 and 2021 have been turbulent years for people across the globe. The pandemic has taken its toll on businesses and economies worldwide. The non-profit sector also felt the heat of the disturbing times. Fundraising strategies for nonprofits needed to be changed. Virtual events replaced in-person events. And, nonprofits were forced to take a digital route as far as fundraising was concerned.

Responsive website designs, online donations, mobile giving, were some methods that became popular for donating to charities. Different fundraising strategies adopted by nonprofits bore mixed results.

Here’s a look at some of them:

The FEP released its findings for the trend in Giving in 2020 and 2021. (Source: https://www.thenonprofittimes.com/donors/study-first-quarter-2021-fundraising-beat-2020/)

According to their report:

• Giving in the first quarter of 2021 grew over that in 2020 by 6%.
• The number of donors in the first quarter of 2021 grew by 10% over 2020 and the donor retention rate grew by 13.6% in the same period.
• However, it is important to note that not all nonprofits experienced this increase in the number of donors, or the funds raised. The funds raised by charities associated with religious organizations and Human Services experienced an increase while most other charities were not so fortunate.

We do not know exactly how long the pandemic will last or how much it is going to impact the nonprofit sector. But nonprofits can leverage these insights to plan their fundraising for the future.

Now, when 2022 is just around the corner, it is time that nonprofits pulled up their socks and planned their fundraising for the coming year!

Looking at the current scenario, virtual fundraising seems to be an effective means in the near future!

Here are 8 Powerful Virtual Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits:

1. Online Donations

Facilitating online donations for donors is no longer a choice but a must for nonprofits. Data reveals that online donations increased by 23% last year over 15% off the previous year. (Source: https://doublethedonation.com/tips/matching-grant-resources/nonprofit-fundraising-statistics/) Hence nonprofits must ensure that they provide easy and simple online methods for donations. Especially in the current scenario when it is difficult for donors to visit specific locations to donate, online donations are necessary to enable donors to contribute.

If donors can relate to a nonprofit and wish to support its cause then online donations make it easy for them to contribute to the charity from any part of the world.

Online donations can be made through the website of the nonprofit. The website should be easy to navigate and the donation page and donation button must be clear and easy to access. Online donations can also be facilitated through the social media pages of the nonprofit.

Non-profits can also offer other means of online donations to make it easy for donors to contribute.

2. Online Auctions

Charity auctions have been an extremely popular means of fundraising among donors for years. However, in-person auctions had to be stopped in 2020 because of the COVID 19 restrictions. However, many nonprofits have switched to a virtual mode of holding charity auctions. In an online auction, the bidders can view the products on which bids are to be placed online. They can place their bids anonymously. They will get an alert when a higher bid is placed. They can raise their bids as and when they desire. The time limit for the auction is indicated by the nonprofit and all bids need to be sent within the deadline specified. The winning bids are announced in a virtual event where all bidders are present.

The benefits of online auctions to nonprofits are that they cut down on several expenses such as venue costs, hosting costs, transportation costs, etc. Besides, they save on the time, effort, and manpower required for hosting the online event. Nonprofits can also reach a wide audience easily online. People across the globe can participate in an online auction.

The participants of the auction enjoy the benefit of placing the bids from the comfort of their homes at a time of their convenience.

However, hosting a successful auction requires an event management platform to facilitate it. The software available for hosting such events can be expensive. Therefore the cost of the platform must be budgeted for while organizing an online auction.

3. Virtual Events

Virtual events have become the alternative to in-person events when the pandemic has forced us all indoors. Nonprofits have created innovative virtual events to attract donors for their fundraisers.

Virtual events are facilitated through Zoom calls, webinars, Facebook Live, or Instagram Live events. In the past year, we have seen how these types of events have been successful in attracting a wide audience.

However, virtual events do not provide an opportunity for physical interaction for the audience. Therefore, it becomes challenging for nonprofits to host virtual events that engage their audience for the entire duration of the event.

Nonprofits have offered different ways of engaging their audience through break room chats, Q&As, etc.

Some of the virtual events hosted by nonprofits include online concerts, digital movie nights, virtual races, and more.

4. Text-to-Give/ Text-to-Donate

Text-to-give and text-to-donate have become extremely popular methods of donation in recent times because of the convenience they offer.

Text-to-give is a method of donating where the donor is required to message a keyword to a shortcode. The amount donated is charged in the cellphone bill of the donor and the mobile service provider remits the amount to the nonprofit.

Text-to-donate is a little different from text to give. In text-to-donate, the donor messages the keyword to a shortcode. He is directed to the registration form of the nonprofit where he furnishes his details and donates the amount directly to the nonprofit.

Text-to-give and text-to-donate are convenient for both donors and nonprofits.

5. Scan to Give

Scan to give is another method of donating using the smartphone. In this method, the nonprofit shares a QR code that the donor can scan and donate the amount to a charity. This method is popular because the donor can contribute any amount at any time of his convenience. Scanning a QR code is possible for donors even when they are on the go. It is a safe and secure method of fundraising which is also easy for nonprofits to provide to their donors.

6. Peer to Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an effective fundraising strategy for nonprofits. In peer-to-peer fundraising supporters of the nonprofit and other individuals create fundraising pages on behalf of the nonprofit. They share the page in their community, among their friends and network to ask for donations.

7. Social Media Takeover

This is an interesting and effective virtual fundraising strategy. In social media takeover, you can request your corporate partner permission to use their social media accounts for a day.

You can spread the word about your fundraiser on the social media accounts of your partner. Nonprofits can share links to their website, social media pages, their online donation forms, etc. Social media takeover helps increase the visibility of your brand and raises awareness about your cause. It helps you tap into an existing online audience and boosts your reach.

8. Online Raffle

An online raffle is when participants need to purchase raffle tickets. One lucky winner wins the raffle prize. Raffles have been an effective fundraising strategy in the past and online raffles are also effective in raising funds for a cause.

However, the nonprofit needs to clearly communicate the purpose of the fundraiser and the cause that is being supported to attract donors.

This becomes easier by choosing an event hosting platform like iConnectx which facilitates customizing the event with your brand colors and logo besides making it easy for you to tell your brand’s story to your audience.

Most of the online fundraising strategies require software to organize and host fundraisers. There is a myriad of platforms with specific features available for event management. The non-profit must select a platform that meets all its needs. It is recommended to opt for a platform that helps host different types of fundraisers.

iConnectx is a platform that has all the features that facilitate hosting different types of events and fundraisers for nonprofits. This platform is easy to use and has a team to support the installation and maintenance of the platform. This platform also offers tools for marketing and promotion besides facilitating customization with brand colors and logos.

The number of smartphone users has increased from 3668 billion users in 2016 to 6378 billion users in 2021. (Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/330695/number-of-smartphone-users-worldwide/). Responsive websites and mobile-friendly methods to donate are no longer an option but a must for nonprofits. One of the most convenient ways of donating using a mobile is text-to-give.

Text to give has become a must-have fundraising option for nonprofits in recent times because of the highly increased screen times of smartphone users during COVID 19. In a survey conducted on 1300 consumers, marketers, and businesses in 2021, 61% of the mobile users say that the time they spend on texting has increased significantly due to COVID. (Source: https://simpletexting.com/2021-texting-statistics/). So, if nonprofits are not offering text-to-give as a method for donating, they are missing out on a huge opportunity!

Text-to-give seems to have become a buzzword in recent times. It is known by different names like text giving, mobile giving, text-to-pledge(if donors pledge to donate a specific amount), etc.

What is Text to give?

Text to give is a method of donating to a charity with the help of a simple text message.

Here’s how it works:

The donor is required to send a specified keyword to a short code. The keyword indicates the charity for which the funds are being donated and the short code is a string of numbers which is a shortened mobile number.

The keyword and the shortcode are specified by the nonprofit that is raising the funds.

There are two ways in which the donation is transferred to the nonprofit:

Text to give: The amount to be donated is added to the mobile bill of the donor. The nonprofit receives donations from the mobile services provider. The main drawback of this method is that cellphone providers usually put a cap on the number of funds that can be donated.

Text To donate: In this method, the donors are directed to a donation page when they text the keyword. They will need to register and fill a form furnishing the details required. They can directly donate the amount to the nonprofit.

Each of these methods has its pros and cons. Nonprofits choose either of the methods for fundraising using mobile. A fundraising platform is required to set up and implement text to donate.

Once the nonprofit receives the donation, the donor receives an acknowledgment from the nonprofit, thanking them for the donation.

The average text to donate amount is $107. (Source: https://www.givesmart.com/blog/text-to-donate-fundraising-statistics/)This indicates that text-to-donate has the potential to attract large donations.

Text to give is an effective fundraising strategy for large events wherein the nonprofit is already connected with donors through presentations, videos, etc. Some examples where the text to give is used are events like galas, outdoor fairs, and more.

One of the recent examples of a successful Text to give campaign is by First Responders Children’s Foundation in March 2020. They organized a living room concert hosted by Elton John. In this fundraiser, the donors needed to message the keyword “Thanks” to the short code 76278 to donate. This campaign generated $140000. (Source: https://www.givesmart.com/blog/text-to-donate-fundraising-statistics/).

Another well-known and extremely successful text-to-give campaign is the one organized by American Red Cross for the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. A staggering $21 million was raised during the text-to-give campaign.

Text to give is popular among donors and nonprofits love it too!

Donors like the text to give because it is convenient. Donors can donate easily from anywhere at any time. It is a secure method of donation. Donors can donate any amount without carrying cash.

Why Nonprofits Love Text to Give?

Nonprofits love text to give because of a myriad of benefits this method offers:

1. Reach a Wide Audience

The number of cell phone users is constantly increasing. In a survey conducted in 2021 on 1300 consumers, business owners, and marketers in the US, it was found that 78% of the consumers check, send, and answer text messages throughout the day. (Source: https://simpletexting.com/2021-texting-statistics/). So, offering a text-to-give method to donors helps nonprofits reach a wide audience.

2. Convenience to Donors

It is a fast and easy way to donate to nonprofits for donors. They do not require credit cards or remember to send a cheque, etc. All they need to do is type in a message.

3. Easy to Operate

Once the nonprofit has the right software to implement text to give, it can be set up to offer a convenient method to donors. Donors are familiar with texting and do not require any training on how to use text-to-give.

4. Can be Integrated with an Existing Infrastructure

The system of the smartphone providers, users, and billing, etc. is already set up and operational. The infrastructure has been working smoothly for years. Integrating text-to-give to the already operational system requires minimal expenses and efforts by the nonprofit. Besides, the audience is already familiar with texting.

6. Promotion Is Easy

Most text-to-give platforms facilitate the promotion and marketing of the fundraising campaign. Therefore, promoting the campaign becomes easy for the nonprofit.

7. Provides Valuable Insights

The software used provides insights about the campaign that helps nonprofits optimize future campaigns.

8. Provides Details About Donors

In a text to donate campaign, donors are required to furnish details like their name and contact details like their phone number, email address, etc. This helps nonprofits establish a personal connection with donors.

9. Attracts More Donations

Since the number of smartphone users is increasing at a very fast pace, this method can reach a wide audience easily. The convenience this method offers encourages donors to contribute more.

Donations can be made by donors on the go. They do not have to be physically present at an event to donate to a cause.

Donors are not restricted by the amount of cash they have in person, they can donate any amount using text messages.

It encourages impulse donations. When you promote your charity and your audience likes what they see and feel the urge to donate, they can donate instantly using text-to-give on their smartphones. They don’t need to be physically present anywhere or have cash in hand.

10. Can be Used with Other Fundraising Campaigns

Many text-to-give platforms facilitate integrating the text-to-give campaign with other fundraisers. This reduces the expenses of organizing separate fundraisers and attracts more donations.

11. Recurring Donations

Some text-to-give platforms support recurring donations by facilitating giving by just repeating the keyword and sending the message. The donors are not required to fill forms, etc. every time.

One of the key elements in organizing successful text-to-give campaigns is the software used for the campaign. The nonprofit must select a platform that caters to all its needs. There are several platforms available for implementing text-to-give campaigns. iConnectx is one of the best platforms for hosting a text-to-give campaign. It is best suited for any fundraising campaign by nonprofits because it provides end-t-end features for organizing any fundraising campaign.

The success of any fundraising event is gauged by the revenue generated by the event which solely depends on the number of attendees to the event. Whether it is an online event or an offline one, the number of people who attend the event determines its success. One of the chief focus areas for a fundraising event is ticket sales.

In a physical event, the nonprofit can sell tickets online or sell paper tickets to attendees through various channels. Selling tickets for virtual events is slightly different. You will need event management software that includes the ticketing feature.

Usually, nonprofits plan the event and send invites through emails, etc. to their regular donors to inform them about the event and urge them to purchase tickets for the same. Also, nonprofits create a buzz about the event through different social media channels to attract their audience for the event.

Nonprofits need to sell more tickets for the fundraising event and this is not an easy task! However, a little planning and strategic thinking can help maximize ticket sales for a fundraising event. Increasing ticket sales directly impacts the total amount of funds raised. Hence, ticket sales is an important area of focus for a fundraising event.

Here are 8 ways to sell more tickets for your nonprofit’s fundraising event:

1. Optimal Pricing of Tickets

The first step towards ticket sales is pricing your tickets right and incentivizing attendees. Make sure to price your tickets such that your attendees see value for money. Pricing tickets too high can discourage your audience and pricing it too low is likely to make your work a lot harder. Find an optimum price for the tickets to your event. This can be done by finding how other nonprofits have priced similar events. Make sure that you cover all the expenses incurred in planning the event while pricing the tickets.

2. Ticketing Tiers

Price tiers for tickets are an effective way to incentivize attendees to come to the event. Some commonly used ticketing tiers include Half-day tickets, early bird tickets, and VIP tickets. Offering discounts is also effective for boosting sales. However, for any kind of ticketing tier, the core price of the ticket must be optimal.

3. Start Selling your Tickets Early

You don’t have to wait until you mail the invitations to start selling the tickets. You can start selling the tickets even before that. You can ask your host committee to sell tickets to their network. Make sure that you set up your online ticket selling platform early so that you can make tickets available to your audience. You can also create excitement around ticket sales through early-bird discounts, etc.

4. Make it Easy to Buy Tickets

Do not have a complicated procedure for buying tickets for the event. Offer safe and secure platforms for purchasing tickets. Make it easy to buy tickets through methods like scanning QR codes for payment, etc.

5. Explain the Benefits of Attending the Event

Put yourself in the position of a potential attendee and think why would you attend the event? Prepare a promotional strategy that explains the benefits of attending the fundraising event for the attendees. You can highlight the purpose for which the funds are being raised. Explain why such causes need the support of the attendees.

You can also highlight the features of the event that will make it interesting for the attendees. For instance, you can call celebrity guests to speak at the event and advertise the name of the celebrity in the promotion. You can make the event interactive and highlight this aspect in your promotions.

You can promise attendees some surprise at the event.

6. Social Promotion

Social media has a wide reach and it is the fastest way to reach a large audience. So, create effective social media campaigns to promote your event through social media channels. You can direct the traffic to your website from where web visitors can easily buy their tickets.

7. Leverage Supporters Networks

One of the most effective ways of increasing ticket sales is leveraging the networks of your supporters. Encourage your donors, supporters, etc. to sell event tickets to their friends, colleagues, etc. This can be done before you start sending out the invitations. You can make the task easier by creating flyers or handouts about your event that your supporters can share with their network.

8. Make Sure to Follow-up

Many nonprofits stop after sending the invitations for the fundraising event! But, it is a good idea to follow up with your invitees to remind and push them to purchase the ticket. However, make sure that you are not a “pushy salesman” while reminding the invitees.

Here’s how the ticketing process for an online event works(for attendees)

• Potential attendees visit your branded ticketing page to purchase access to the date and time for the event. To gain access they will need to register and pay for the event. You can direct your audience to the branded page through social media channels, emails sent, etc.
• People who pay and buy access to the event will receive a unique code through which they can access the event.
• Attendees can enter the unique access code a few minutes before the event starts to enter the waiting room.
• When the event starts, all those in the waiting room will be able to join the event.

The entire process is streamlined through event management software. The platforms are beneficial for organizing both in-person and virtual events. There are several event management platforms available to choose from. Make sure that you evaluate the different platforms and choose the one the best meets the needs of your nonprofit.

How nonprofits can organize a Fundraising Event Using an Event Platform?

• You can host your event on YouTube, Zoom, Facebook, Vimeo, etc. The link for the event can be added to the event page.
• Those who are interested in attending the event will need to register and purchase a ticket for the event.
• You can send a code to the registered attendees through the platform.
• Registered attendees can join the live stream using the code.

Some event platforms facilitate customizing the event page with event details, the theme of the event, colors of your brand, logo, etc. You can promote your event through the event platform with email marketing, social media marketing, and more. Event platforms also provide valuable insights to track the effectiveness of promotional strategies, feedback about the event, and more!

While the needs and budget of each nonprofit vary for the selection of an event management platform, here are some common features to look for while selecting one:

• Customizable
• Easy to use
• Support for set up and maintenance
• Secure payment gateway
• Offer a seamless experience to your audience

It is recommended that you select a platform that supports different types of fundraising events so that you can organize different types of events with ease. It is beneficial to choose platforms that offer features for promotion and marketing. However, the choice of features would largely depend on your budget for the software.

One of the best event hosting platforms is iConnectx. This platform has all the features to support different types of fundraising events for nonprofits. iConnectx includes features that facilitate end-to-end event management from registration and ticket sales to tracking the success of the event.

Auctions have been a popular means of fundraising for nonprofits for years. However, the pandemic has changed the direction of auctions from physical events to virtual events. In other words in 2020 we have seen several nonprofits hosting online auctions successfully.

How Online Auction for a Nonprofit Works?

The concept of an online auction is the same as a physical one. In a physical auction, the participants meet at a venue and bid for products/services on auction. The highest bidder wins the auction and gets the product/service. In a physical auction, the bids are announced loud and clear so that everyone knows what the bid is and can bid higher.

Sometimes bids are not announced, bidders can send their bids privately through mobile text messages or written on paper.

In an online auction, the articles on auction and the starting bid is announced by the nonprofit on various channels. Bidders can send in their bids anonymously to the host of the auction. The highest bid and the winner is announced online. Some nonprofits organize virtual events to declare the winner of the auction.

So, if you are wondering if you should host an online auction or stick to the physical version, it would be beneficial to look at the pros and cons of hosting an online auction.

Online Auction: Pros and Cons

Pros

Wider Reach

Online auctions can reach an audience across global boundaries. Bidders from across the globe can participate in the auction by sending in their bids. This helps the nonprofit increase its visibility as well. It is beneficial for donors because they can participate in auctions associated with charities that they would like to support irrespective of their physical location.

Anonymity

Bidders can send in their bids anonymously if they prefer to do so. It is easier to maintain anonymity in online auctions than in physical ones.

Longer Duration

Physical auctions are organized for a limited duration. However, the duration of an online auction can be much longer. The nonprofit can decide on the time period for which the auction is held.

Convenient

Online auctions are more convenient because bids can be sent from anywhere and at any time. Bidders can easily send their bids even if they are in different time zones. Besides, bids can be sent through mobiles making it easier to send bids when the bidder is on the go. Bidders do not need to travel anywhere, they can make their bids from the comfort of their homes.

Economical

Online auctions are less expensive to host when compared with physical auctions because several expenses are eliminated. For instance, cost of the venue, catering, etc. The only major expense for hosting an online auction is that the online auction platform. However, it is a one-time investment and it proves lower than hosting a physical event in the long run.

Better Tracking

An online event platform facilitates data analysis by providing detailed data such as number of people who registered, how many times an item was clicked, and more. This data provides valuable insights to enhance the user experience in future events.

Cons

Lacks the Excitement

Online auctions do not have the thrill and excitement that attendees in a physical event experience. When there are several bidders in a hall and they are bidding, the fervor and the excitement builds up. This is totally missing in an online event.

Pictures Might be Misleading

In a virtual auction, bidders don’t get an opportunity to physically see the item they are bidding for. Bids are made based on the picture of the product. Pictures might be misleading and the real product might be quite different from what it appeared in the pictures.

Bids are Higher

Since online auctions have more participants compared to the physical auction, a bidder has to compete with a much larger group. Hence, he will need to quote very high to ensure that he does not get outbid.

Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

Cybercrime is quite rampant on different platforms on the internet. An online auction could make the bidder more vulnerable to a cyber attack.

Delivery will take Longer

In a physical auction, the product is given to the highest bidder immediately after the auction. However, in an online auction, the product has to be sent to the winner and this might take longer.

If you are considering running an online auction and wondering “How to Run a Virtual Auction?” here’s how:

The roadmap for planning an online auction includes:

• Procuring the item.
• Establishing the dates and timelines for the auction.
• Defining the starting bid for the auction.
• Scheduling the promotional activities for the auction.
• Marketing the online auction through email marketing, social media marketing, etc.
• Hosting the virtual auction using the online auction platform.
• Delivering the articles to the winners.
• Analyzing data to assess the success/failure of the auction.

Steps for Hosting a Virtual Auction:

Step 1: Establish your Fundraising Goals:

If you are planning to run a fundraising auction, you need to establish what amount you expect to generate through the auction.

Step 2: Budget your Expenses

Organizing any fundraising event has several costs associated with it. It is recommended that you allocate a specific budget for your online auction. This will help you stay on track and not go overboard with your expenses.

Step 3: What you Need?

Here’s a list of what you will need to host an online auction:

Products to be auctioned: You will need to procure items to be auctioned and establish the lowest bid for the auction. You can use the data gathered from previous auctions to decide on the type of products to procure for the auction.

Online auction platform: An online fundraising platform is software that helps host an online auction. Online fundraising platforms incite giving and help create a community of supporters of your nonprofit. Several vendors are offering a myriad of online auction platforms with different features. Make sure that you choose an online auction platform that meets the needs of your fundraiser.

Promotion tools: The online auction will need to be promoted on different channels to attract more participants. A well-planned promotion strategy can help you reach a wider audience. Certain online auction platforms facilitate marketing and promotion as well.

Will your online auction be integrated with other fundraisers? If you want to integrate other fundraisers such as peer-to-peer fundraising, etc., with your online auction, make room for it in the planning stages itself.

Step 4: Planning the Online Auction

Break the main objective of online auction into smaller goals with specific timelines. Create teams for different tasks associated with the auction. For instance, one team can look at the marketing plan, another can take care of procuring the items, etc.

Step 5: Host the Auction

Host your online auction. You can use innovative ideas like live streaming, etc., to make the auction more interesting for your audience.

Step 6: Data Analytics

One of the best features of online auction platforms is that they provide all details such as the number of bidders, their locations, and more. All these valuable insights help you plan future auctions customized to the needs of your audience.

The key ingredient for a successful online auction is the online auction platform. You must choose the platform carefully so that you procure the best one for your nonprofit. It is recommended that you create a checklist of features you require and compare the features of different platforms according to the checklist and choose the best one that meets the needs of your nonprofit. Also, make sure that the cost of the platform is within your budget.

One of the best online auction platforms is iConnectx! This platform offers features that help in end-to-end planning, organizing, and hosting of an online auction.