With fundraising events being cancelled or postponed on a large scale, and fundraisers staying at home, our hearts go out to charities. In this time, alternative methods of fundraising will be crucial to help them continue their important work[i].
More and more non-profits are embracing online fundraising, which harnesses the power of their crowds of supporters to win donations on their behalf.
Here are five ideas for adapting your fundraising efforts and fundraising successfully under quarantine:
1. Update and share your online fundraising campaign
Closures and quarantines mean people are spending more time online and on social media, and will be desperate for creative, positive, inspiring content. Use this opportunity to update your campaign and share it with your network. Maybe you could even put together a fundraising video?
2. Add a donate button to your website
When you can’t win donations face-to-face, add a convenient donate and fundraise button to your website – make sure to include suggested donation amounts with explanations so people can see the impact different levels of generosity will have.
What’s more, our new “donor covers fee” option allows your donors to pay our 5% platform fee and other processing charges for you, so online fundraising can be more impactful than ever before.
3. Throw a (virtual) party
Thinking of cancelling your upcoming gala or charity concert? Move it online instead, using livestreaming platforms like Zoom, Facebook Live or YouTube. Check out how quick-thinking charities are already smashing fundraising targets with virtual events.
4. Start a #stayhomechallenge for your charity
Social media users around the world are taking part in the #stayhomechallenge to share how they are staying entertained under quarantine. Encourage your fundraisers to join in the fun – but with a fundraising twist. Ask them to share their #stayhomechallenge and add a fundraising link at the end. Don’t forget to tell them to tag @givengain so that we can repost it!
5. Get your supporters to take part in a living room challenge
Marathons and cycle races, normally a huge source of donations for charities, may be out of the question right now, but virtual races are still going on every day! Apps like Zwift and Strava let users take part in races from their own living rooms, so encourage your supporters to (virtually) race for a cause.
It doesn’t have to be a sporting challenge, either. We recently shared a list of fun fundraising ideas to try at home. Why not pick one and ask your supporters to take part? Make it a community event: give it a hashtag, make posts on social media and ask people to share their videos.
We appreciate that fundraising under quarantine isn’t easy, but we’re always here to give you any support we can. We wish you the best of luck with your online fundraising efforts – and if you come up with a great online fundraising idea of your own, we’d love to hear about it. Please visit https://support.givengain.com if you have any questions.
Stay safe!
The GivenGain Team
[i] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/16/charities-face-cash-crisis-as-virus-fears-hit-fundraising
