Helpful Tips to Get Donations
Getting donations for your organization can be difficult, especially if you're asking others to sacrifice for a cause they may know or care very little about. You can increase the chances of a successful donation drive or fundraiser by thinking smart, planning ahead and being flexible.
Other People Are Reading
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Options
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Let your donors pick their own donation plan. Don't make the mistake of being too rigid with potential donors. You can increase the likelihood of a donation by offering different donors different options. For example, a family man who claims that times are too hard to make a donation may be more willing to part with funds if the total amount is spread over a year. A business may prefer to simply match its employees' donations. You could also also different amounts with correlating rewards. For example, a $25 donation comes with a Frisbee; $50, a T-shirt; $75, a hat and T-shirt. Be flexible with your donors and allow them to donate in whatever way is most comfortable for them.
Donor Benefits
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If you're asking for money, what are you offering in return? Never contact a potential donor without offering her a concrete benefit as a result of her donation. If you're raising money to build a new playground, remind her that her children and grandchildren are likely to benefit. If you need food or clothing for a homeless shelter, offer donors a tax deduction. If you're soliciting funds or products from local merchants, offer them free advertising at one of your events. Even generous people may like to know what's in it for them before committing to a cause with which they're not familiar.
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Timing
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For soliciting donations, timing can be crucial. Although extenuating circumstances can make it difficult to schedule fundraising at ideal times, try to solicit donations at the best possible time. If you're cold-calling potential donors, don't call in the early mornings, during dinner or after 9 p.m. Avoid soliciting donations immediately following a popular gift-giving season, when many people are tightening their belts. If you hold fundraisers throughout the year, stagger them so that people don't feel constantly harassed to contribute. Similarly, rotate the donors on your list to avoid calling the same people more than twice a year. Check before soliciting donations to see whether other organizations are holding fundraisers at the same time. If potential donors feel overwhelmed with requests, they may not donate anything.
Awareness Tools
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A website can significantly help your cause's visibility. Don't rely on just one method of getting donations. Spread your efforts over several different mediums so that you reach as many demographics as possible. Set up social media accounts for your cause. Ask your personal friends to "like" the cause and encourage their friends to do the same. Post regular updates. Build a website and update it as frequently as possible. Rent advertising space in your city's magazine or local newspaper. Try to hold "fun" events, such as family nights, as often as you hold official fundraisers; you'll reach more people and raise awareness without necessarily putting pressure on them to donate.
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References
Resources
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