If you think that anybody can fundraise you are mistaken. Fundraising takes skills and hard work; the best fundraisers can make a huge difference to the fortunes of your charity. Appoint a smart, fast-learning team and offer them plenty of training and support. Bear in mind that it’s important to hire a fundraiser to raise […]
Category: Fundraising Fortnight
Day 13: Grants & Funding
The world of grant making is evolving. Below are the best websites where you can access guidance on applying for grants plus advice on how to manage a relationship with a funder. These sites contain more sources, more commentary and more funding analysis than anywhere else. Subscribe online at the individual websites. Warning… these websites can […]
Fundraising Fortnight
The last few years have been particularly tough for the charity sector as it’s had to find new ways to operate and interact with the government whilst meeting the needs of those it serves. A period of economic growth followed swiftly by recession has seen income levels under pressure at exactly the time when charity […]
Day 6: Make the most of social media
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn are just some of the tools that can help you promote your charity and send messages to volunteers about how they can help. It’s easy, quick, free and the message can be spread fast to different audiences. Social media is about building a long-term relationship with your supporters, and this […]
Day 2: Ask for donations
Most Trustees would like to raise money simply by broadcasting how great their cause is, how great their need is, and then waiting for donations to roll in. However, even the best newsletters and media articles don’t raise much money. Asking people directly and passionately raises money, and there’s no shortcut to this. However, stopping […]
Day 5: Work on your relationships
Work on relationships with people already supporting you. If your existing supporters feel appreciated they are more likely to champion your cause to family and friends. Make sure to always acknowledge each donation, if you don’t, donors may feel disaffected and are less likely to donate in the future. #FundraisingFortnight […]
Day 14: Keep going!
Enthusiasm and motivation are the best habits fundraisers can have. Schedule some time daily to create your enthusiasm habit; here are five things you can try: If you haven’t come across it yet, make time to read Hildy Gottlieb’s article, The Sound a Thank You Makes. Try putting her concept into practice and regularly spend some […]
Day 11: Why do people give?
For any charity trying to raise money, understanding what motivates people to give is pretty useful. However, people’s motivations can be complex. Here are a few of the most important reasons why people donate: They are affected personally by the cause (think heart disease or cancer) They are thankful that they aren’t affected by the […]
Day 7: Believe in your cause
A fundraiser or charity employee has to sell the cause to encourage people to take part. If you are passionate about what your charity does, it shows and makes it harder for a potential supporter not to get hooked. #FundraisingFortnight […]
Day 8: Set Realistic Goals
Your fundraising goals should be a stretch, but not to the point that they become impossible. As you get closer to your target amount, raise it to encourage people to continue donating. Avoid reaching the situation where prospective donors decide not to donate because you have almost reached your goal. […]
Day 4: Don’t try to carry out several fundraising activities at once
Many small charities are often carrying out 6 or 7 different types of fundraising activity at any given time, and often doing all of them at a sub-optimal level. Pick one or two areas to focus on and really make them shine. #FundraisingFortnight […]
Day 10: The Joys of Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a wonderful thing. There’s no denying that it could be made easier, less bureaucratic, but the simple fact is that there is probably no more cost-effective way of adding 25% to your donations. All you have to do is get a completed Gift Aid form from your donor, record the details of […]
Day 12: Check your materials
It’s important to ensure you are sending a consistent message with every piece of material that’s posted online or sent to potential donors. This includes obvious things like your website and social media posts, and other items such as your email footer and Skype status. Include a personal story: why you’re raising money, why it’s […]
Day 9: Apply for a Google Grant
You may not have heard of it, but Google Ad Grants is the non-profit edition of AdWords, Google’s online advertising tool. As part of its nonprofit programme, Google gives eligible charities $10,000 (£5,800) a month to spend on AdWords, Google’s pay-per-click advertising system. Not only that, if you spend at least $9,500 (£5,545) in two months of the previous 12 […]
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