Nonprofit fundraising has changed dramatically with COVID, shuttering many in-person events and driving more donation drives online.
While the shift has been uncomfortable for some, the emphasis on connecting online has presented new opportunities for organizations that are nimble enough to take advantage of them.
Cory Kampschroer, a strategic development partner with 4giving, said many non-profit leaders realized technology makes the process of raising and collecting funds quicker, simpler and more fun. They also realized that they could reach more prospective donors than they could in the past.
“The fear of them trying something new in the past outweighed the possibility of finding a more efficient and better way to do it,” Kampschroer said. “Now, being forced to communicate in a new way, they are finding there are huge benefits.”
Elijah Stacy, the 19-year-old founder of Destroy Duchenne, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, knows the power of technology to reach a broad swath of potential donors. He said his organization raised more than $100,000 in less than three years without asking for donations, based only on its online presence.
“Our focus on using the internet gives us the opportunity to raise a lot of money fast from a lot of different people,” said Stacy. “People just see our content, explore our website and then feel compelled to donate.”
THON, which calls itself the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, has raised more than $190 million in the fight against pediatric cancer and has covered medical bills for more than 4,000 impacted families.
Kate Colgan, executive director of THON, said its peer-to-peer fundraising platform, DonorDrive, allows donors to connect with individual fundraisers and/or teams that each have their own, personalized fundraising page.
Colgan said this method is very successful because it allows students to set their own fundraising goals, but also organizations and committees can set larger overarching goals to strive towards.
Other innovative strategies include the use of QR codes that donors can easily scan on their phones, as well as a virtual 5K that fundraisers and supporters can participate in wherever they are.
THON has incorporated “impact numbers” into their donation form and personal stories of impacted families and individuals. For example, donors can see the funds going toward covering prescription drug copays, funding art therapy, or supporting cancer research.
“This allows donors to see exactly what their donation will accomplish based on the amount that they give,” said Colgan. “We believe that connecting our supporters with the real testimonies of the families that we support creates a strong connection to our mission and a real understanding of the impact made by their donation.”
Future STEM Leaders, a youth-led organization focused on decreasing the opportunity gap in STEM for underprivileged communities and minority groups, started fundraising in late May to send STEM school supplies to a school in Dekle, Haiti.
The organization says they raised $760 over two months using a GoFundMe page which they promoted on social media, especially Instagram. They also used QR codes to direct people to their GoFundMe page, website, and Instagram.
Megan Leon, President & Director of Social Medias for FSL, said they posted daily videos and photos from the school of students doing experiments and extracurricular activities like gardening, as well as student stories.
“We saw that interactive stories got more views, so we implemented stories such as asking our followers if they have ever done the experiments the Haitian students have done,” said Leon. “This created a connection between the Haitian students and our followers, which made them more likely to donate.”
The Toolbox:
- Start a GoFundMe campaign and promote it on your social media pages.
- Create interactive stories to build a connection between potential donors and the cause.
- Place a QR code on posters, mailers, pamphlets, or products that donors can instantly scan for contactless donations.
