5 alternatives for your online fundraising strategy 2022
How charities and nonprofits are fundraising online, what strategies are working and the opportunities for today - NP Tech for Good research findings.
Think there’s only one way to fundraise online?
Think again.
Granted, it’s easy to get stuck in a fundraising rut where you do the same campaigns year after year.
But online fundraising is an ever-changing landscape - and one you can have a lot of fun with.
So why the heck not?
Online fundraising strategies today
To put it mildly, the world got pretty banged up these past couple of years. And we don’t need to tell you how tragic, far-reaching and downright devastating the impacts have been.
Some nonprofits have emerged a little battered and bruised, too.
But, we are also benefiting from a world that is more virtual than ever.
And one that’s embracing mobile giving like never before.
Meaning what?
Charities are now spoiled for choice when it comes to online fundraising and the way we approach it.
And that’s good news for you and your nonprofit!
(and who doesn’t want good news right now?)
You know this, how?
Because the lovely folk at NP Tech for Good have shared their findings from a big research project they conducted about virtual fundraising in North America.
We put our reading glasses 🤓 on and discovered just how charities and nonprofits are fundraising online, what strategies are working for them and where the opportunities lie for these organisations today.
All pretty interesting stuff (well, we think so!).
In the end, we boiled it down to five different virtual fundraising strategies. All of which get a thumbs up 👍🏻 for being easy, effective and well-received by donors.
Run your eyes over these goodies.
1. Peer-to-peer fundraising
Firstly…what is peer-to-peer fundraising?
Let’s take a quick detour into Peer-to-peer 101.
Peer-to-peer fundraising
A fundraising method where people ask their personal network to donate to a cause or charity they’re supporting.
With their own individual fundraising page, supporters can share their journey with family and friends and collect donations.
It’s a good donating experience - and highly effective!
Did you know: people are exceeding their fundraising goals by 139% when they use the Raisely peer-to-peer template.
We also know that gamification in a person’s peer-to-peer campaign (coupled with a good mobile experience) makes a huuuuge difference to fundraising.
I’ll tell you this, too👇🏼 ℹ️
It’s not only customers using the Raisely peer-to-peer fundraising platform who are reaping the rewards.
NP Tech for Good’s research revealed that:
✅ 53.1% of nonprofits use peer-to-peer fundraising
AND
📈 25.1% said their organisation raised more than expected with a peer-to-peer campaign.
Starting to see why peer-to-peer fundraising needs to be a thing at your nonprofit?
Sign up to our Peer-to-peer webinar.
We’ll put you through your peer-to-peer paces and help you plan your next campaign.
2. Virtual fundraising events
Virtual fundraising events boomed during the pandemic. And, as we slowly return to a more normal way of living, they look here to stay.
The NP Tech for Good survey told us:
💻 54.3% of nonprofits now include virtual events as part of their online fundraising strategy
💰 More than a quarter (28%) of organisations said virtual events raised slightly more than expected.
So it’s safe to say online events are gaining traction?
That’s right.
Why, exactly?
Because they offer way more flexibility than IRL events.
Supporters can take part anywhere, anytime it suits them.
And the events aren’t dependent on all those pesky factors you can’t control (like weather, lockdowns and people doing the old no-show on the day).
And that means more supporters get on board and raise more funds for your organisation.
A caveat
The right software is super important for a successful virtual fundraiser. It brings all the elements together so you can carry off an organised, well-run event.
A helpful scaffold like Raisely’s active event template can take a little pressure off.
It’s jam-packed full of great tools to help you pull together something memorable.
We’re talking…
📑 Custom registration forms
⌚️Integration with fitness apps such as Strava
🥇 Activity tracking and leaderboards / rankings (competitive natures can definitely work in your favour!).
3. Giving Tuesday 2022
Is your nonprofit one of the 77% of those who do Giving Tuesday campaigns?
Now…this is an interesting one. And here’s why.
The research from NP Tech for Good showed 26% of organisations surveyed raised slightly less than they expected.
Stay in your seats, ladies and gentlemen (and don’t delete it from your calendar just yet).
Yes, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd on such a popular day of giving.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
There are lots of tips and tricks in this blog to help make Giving Tuesday 2022 your best one yet. It’ll tell you exactly how to make the most of your campaign.
Then, move onto Dos and don’ts for a great Giving Tuesday email campaign for some more inspo.
Armed with the right information, you’ll be off to a smart, strategic start!
4. Matched giving
Matched giving can really get your funds soaring 💸
As the name suggests, this is when a corporate matches the amount of funds one (or more) of their employees raises.
$500 turning into $1000?
Yes, please!
Not surprisingly, the survey reported 47.2% of nonprofits make matched giving part of their fundraising strategy.
It doesn’t need to be complicated, either.
You can run matched giving periods on the Raisely platform. It does the work for you, automatically monitoring matched donations and adding them to your fundraising totals.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy 🍋
And if you think it sounds too good to be true, it’s really not.
Check out how 5 charities on Raisely doubled their donations with matched giving here.
You’ll see it’s pretty popular with our customers - ‘cos it works!
5. Tribute giving
For families experiencing the loss of someone they love, tribute giving and ‘in memory’ gifts can offer a sliver of comfort while they grieve.
It is a way for them to remember their loved ones and to contribute to a cause close to their hearts.
It’s telling, then, that this form of giving (memorials as well as birthdays) accounted for 57.4% of online fundraising strategies.
And it makes sense.
Friends, family and acquaintances often give generously in lieu of flowers, or simply because they are doing something meaningful during such a difficult time.
Raisely has an In Memoriam template so your charity can offer respectful, sensitive fundraising options to families dealing with the pain of losing a loved one.
There’s more about the template’s functionality here and how it supports tribute giving.
Welcome to the brave new world of virtual fundraising
You might feel intimidated as you make your foray into online fundraising.
Even tweaking an existing virtual fundraising strategy can seem overwhelming at first.
Not every strategy will work every time. That’s ok!
Because with the right fundraising platform, you’re well on your way.
Book a demo to see where online fundraising can take your organisation.
Be inspired. Be excited. Be brave!