Fundraising is an important aspect for any non-profit, but it can also be pretty stressful; your next year depends on how well it goes. It’s understandable that this could cause some tense moments during your workday, adding to your other day-to-day tasks. So, I’ve rounded up great tips that’ll hopefully ease some of that stress the next time you plan a fundraiser. Here are some fundamental fundraising resources that’ll fuel your funds: Social Media– This may be one of your best resources for getting the word out about any event you’re holding, and it can also help in fundraising. Many NPOs use events as fundraisers of course, but what if your non-profit was selling an item, like candy bars for example? Here are some suggestions:

• Pinterest – Create a board for your fundraiser and add enticing photos of the item you’re selling, like candy bars. Share pictures of people selling them (smiling of course!), happy people eating the candy bars, etc. Also include info on how to get in touch with your organization and link to your website if someone can buy/donate from there. Pinterest is all about images, which is great for a non-profit; there are lots of things you can pin.

• Twitter – Tweet about your fundraiser. No brainer right? Sure, but make sure you include a link for people to purchase your item, or include a location they can visit to purchase. And of course, tweet a link to donate through in case someone would rather do that. Social media is fast-moving, if you inspire someone to donate to your NPO, you want them to do it right then.

• Facebook – Facebook is especially important to point out because it can be a huge help for your fundraising efforts. You probably already know that there are many Facebook accounts, around 900 million of them. That is a big number for sure, but what it means to your non-profit (or any business really) is that the people who will support your business are there waiting to hear from you. They may not be following you yet, but likes or comments on your posts will show up in the feed from friends who comment or like. Plus, you never know who your friends are. Here’s an example of what I mean:

The Colorado Springs Down Syndrome Association participated in a nation wide movie night last year. They tweeted about the event, sent emails and posted about it on Facebook. It turned out one of their Facebook fans worked at a local news station and got the word out about the movie night. They sold out the theater and had to add another showing of the film to accommodate everyone.

They did all the right things to get the word out, and this is exactly why you want to share your fundraising on social media. Online registration: Again, probably a no-brainer, but maybe not. We live in a society that is very mobile, so you want to make sure that when you Tweet, post on Facebook or send an email, your recipients can take action through the medium you are contacting them through, even if it’s just a link. If you’re having an event, allow people to sign up for it online; or donate, purchase, whatever your fundraiser is for. There are lots of online registration tools out there to help you manage this (VR Events for example), plus:

• Blackbaud/Kintera
• Dojiggy
• Causes
• Crowdrise

And a lot more, check out this article for more ideas. Fundraising tools: Make sure the program or fundraising tools you find have what you want and need. There are a lot out there, so look at a few and figure out what features you need and what you can live without. Since very few are free, you’ll want to make sure you find the features you need or can use, as some may have too many bells and whistles. Even if discounted for NPOs, you may still find that some products take more effort to get to what you need. The Fundraising Authority has some tips on what to look for in a fundraising database. So there you have it, some pointers to help out when it’s time to start thinking about fundraising. And don’t forget to check any laws in your area that may impact your fundraising before you begin!

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