One of the best ways to help an organization is by raising money since it is something that is always needed and allows for the organization to use it in the most beneficial way, however, it can also be an easy fail if the fundraising is not done correctly. As someone who is extremely impulsive, especially when it comes to supporting causes that I believe in, I understand the urge to just dive in and deal with each and every problem as they come, but believe me when I say that this is not the way to go when it comes to fundraising. This week as my co-leader and I were conducting a fundraiser for KIND (Kids In Need of Defense), I learned a few tips and tricks along the week-long event that I wish someone had told me about, and hopefully they can help you.
Give something away- One thing that I’ve noticed from all successful fundraisers, big or small, is that selling something is a much more successful way of attracting donations than just asking for them.By doing this, you are able to not only attract people who strongly believe In your cause, but also those who are interested in your product. Please note that this product does not have to be expensive at all, in fact I would encourage something cheap in order to decrease expenses so that there’s more money to donate.
Plan the smallest details- This tip was the most difficult for me, but thankfully my co-leader was always there to remind me about the small yet important details.I recommend having someone to talk to about your fundraising idea and ask them all the possible ways that it could go wrong, negative as this seems, this prepares you for the worst case scenerios so you’re not caught off guard.
Tell EVERYONE- Now in order for a fundraiser to be successful, you have to be able to communicate and spread the information as much as you possibly can. Although it might feel like you might be annoying people by constantly posting it on your Instagram and asking people to support the cause, I promise that most people don’t see it that way.As I’ve noticed through my KIND fundraiser, it’s not that people don’t care enough to donate, but it’s rather that most of us just scroll through our instagrams without realizing what we’re looking at.In order to combat this, I suggest you reach out to your close friends by sharing your fundraiser in group chats and asking them to tell their family or other friends as well, this creates a better way to spread your message and have more potential donors.
Lastly, have fun!- Although this is quite basic advice, it’s important nonetheless. Since there is much planning and organizing to be done, it is easy to stress out about the smallest details, but it’s important to realize that fundraising is not an easy process and you will not be able to do it perfectly. Although both my co-leader and I wanted the best for this fundraiser, we had some issues that were bound to happen since it was our first time, but we can at least say that we had a lot of fun working together and helping a cause we truly care about. At the end of the day, all that truly matters is that you were able to raise some money, and despite how big or small that amount is, you made a positive difference!