Starting a Fundraiser
Decided to fundraise on Social For Action?
Welcome to the team! If you’re in need of some inspiration, check out our hot tips below. Whether you’re planning on raising funds on your own, at work or in your local community, there is something to suit everyone.
With so many ways to raise money on Social For Action, we’ve got everything you need to make it happen, your way. Whether you want to go it alone or do something with your school, work or place of worship, you’ll find lots of fundraising inspiration.
How to Ask for Donations in 6 Easy Step
1. Inspire giving by truthfully telling your story
As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. People want to trust that their donations are going toward a legitimate cause. Be honest in telling your story to reassure those who are looking to help. If a donor connects with your story they will be more willing to donate. Encourage potential donors to visit your fundraiser page to get more details—and to become part of your journey with their donation. To learn more about storytelling, take a look at our guide on crafting a compelling campaign story.
2. Tailor your message to who you’re asking
The best way to receive a positive response—and a donation—is to appeal to each potential donor’s individual interests. If you know someone who would respond better to a warm, lighthearted request, keep your wording to ask for donations informal and bright. For someone such as a colleague who may respond better to a formal approach, deliver your message accordingly.
You might be nervous about asking for help. It’s good to know that even people who regularly organize fundraisers still get nervous. Requesting donations online can be made easier by using a mental checklist and practicing your approach. Here are a few tips on how to ask for donations.
PERSONALIZE YOUR REQUEST
When you ask for donations, focus on more than just the need. Also think about the types of donors you’re asking, and what their understanding and needs might be. When approaching a potential donor, ask yourself:
Why does this person care? There is a reason you reached out to him or her for donations. Keep that reason in mind, and communicate it when you approach each potential donor.
What relationship does this person have with the beneficiary? Maybe an individual is a family member of the beneficiary. A tip for how to ask for money from family is to bring up this relationship when asking for donations. This is to create more personal, intimate communication and boost your chances of getting a donation. Touching on the relationship is important to do with anyone you ask, whether they’re a childhood friend or neighbor.
Why would they have reservations? Keep in mind reasons someone might not want to donate, and try to address them. For example, some people may worry they can’t afford to make a large enough donation to make a difference. By addressing this concern and listing specific expenses that can be paid with small donations, you can get more people to contribute.
TRY A FUNDRAISING LETTER
Sending a personal fundraising letter to potential donors can increase the number of donations you receive. This may sound time consuming, but it’s effective. It separates your message from the dozens of spam requests a person might receive. It also shows that your request is about more than money—it’s about the relationship.
3. Create a sense of urgency
It’s important to convey a sense of urgency when sharing your fundraiser. Without that urgency, your potential donors may consider waiting to donate—requiring you to ask them again down the line. Explain what will happen if you don’t raise the money in a certain amount of time, and you’ll likely see a spike in donations. Keep in mind that even negative consequences can still be framed in a positive light. Our blog on the psychology of giving is a good resource to reference for similar tips.
4. Use email to your advantage
One major strength of email: You can ask friends and family to forward the non-personalized portion of the message to their own circle. Consider crafting a block of text they can easily use for that purpose, and calling it out as such in your email. Additionally, email is great for online fundraising without social media since it’s efficient, low cost, and easy to track your progress. Successfully reach your fundraising goals by taking advantage of these fundraising email templates.
5. Make it easy to donate
While this is obvious, it can be easy to forget: Make it easy for people to make a donation. Include the link to your donation page in your ask, and don’t be afraid to point out exactly where the donation button is located on your fundraiser.
6. Be specific in your ask
Providing people with specific information is a strong way to grab their attention. Give potential donors clear-cut reasons why they should donate to your cause. In your ask, be sure to break down these three things:
Your current situation.
The reason why you’re fundraising.
Your desired outcome.
LIST ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
Be specific in your list of expenses as well. Some ways to be specific include using numbers, making a checklist, and listing additional costs. It can also be effective to get specific with the requested amounts. For example, “A 1250/- donation will allow Jahan to fill one month’s prescriptions.”
Some successful fundraisers itemize every expense—not just a big-ticket item like a surgery or funeral, but the gas money needed for rides to the doctor, transportation fees for a hearse or van, and other, smaller expenses. Potential donors will appreciate transparency. Visit Social For Action Causes to see more examples of how certain donation amounts can help.
The Bottom Line
Above all, remember that people enjoy helping others. When you ask for donations, you’re simply tapping into that human impulse. Check out our fundraising ideas to see how Social For Action makes it easy to raise money for yourself, someone you know, or a cause that is near and dear to your heart. Additionally, read honest Social For Action reviews to see what others say about using crowdfunding. Now that you know the basics of asking for donations, you can start a fundraiser today and begin raising donations tomorrow.
Social For Action believes in the power to make someone smile, to save someone’s life, to foster brilliant ideas, to make a social change and to be the impact you want to make in the world.
Social For Action has built an easy-to-use platform to transform individuals and non-profit giving sector. We offer the best online tools to mobilize the crowd towards great ideas and projects and get good things done fast.
Making an impact by working together!
Start your fundraising journey today: https://www.socialforaction.com/
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