Forging a strong bond with your community is in the best interest of your nonprofit. Why? You likely serve constituents in the community and lean on it for volunteers and financial support. Being active in the community and finding ways to engage community members can not only aid in fundraising, but also help spread awareness of your organization’s mission and important work.
Community Considerations
As you think through these and other fundraising ideas for your nonprofit, there are certain considerations to keep in mind. You’ll want to think about how each possibility meets the community’s needs and how it relates to your nonprofit. Ask yourself these questions before you dive into planning:
- Is it relevant to community priorities? If your community holds strong values or is particularly well-known for something, consider how you can leverage this in your fundraising idea. For instance, if your community is well-known for its dedication to youth sports, you might choose a related fundraiser, like a sports tournament.
- Is it inclusive? Any fundraising event or campaign should involve a wide array of backgrounds, means, and ages. Particularly in diverse communities, making inclusivity a priority will give your fundraiser broader appeal and attract more folks to participate.
- Is it fun and engaging? Even if the cause your nonprofit is fundraising for is serious, you can still fold in elements of fun or friendly competition to encourage participation. If your community’s demographics trend toward a younger age group, this is even more important.
- Will it make an impact? Think carefully about how the fundraiser can make a real, tangible impact on your work, and in turn, the community. People are more likely to support a fundraiser when they understand how it makes a difference.
- Is our nonprofit being transparent? Like any other nonprofit activity, ensure you’re being upfront and transparent about what you’re fundraising for and how donations will be used.
Check out these four fundraising ideas to help you leverage and strengthen the bond that ties your nonprofit and community together for good:
1. Community Event
If you want community members to show up for your cause, you’ll want a fundraising event that brings people together and fosters strong relationships. The good news is that there are a ton of options your organization can choose from and customize to fit your needs and goals. Some popular ideas include:
- charity golf tournaments
- other tournaments, including pickleball, basketball, or softball
- fun runs or walks
- galas or banquets
- seasonal community festivals with merchants, food, entertainment, and games
A great way to involve the businesses in your community is to invite them to sponsor your event. They benefit from broad exposure to community members and you raise dollars and open doors for future corporate support. Sponsorships boost the event’s overall fundraising revenue and where you’ll raise the most money. To determine the best sponsorship fit for your nonprofit and the event, GolfStatus recommends tailoring your ask to each prospect and highlighting the type of audience the event will attract and the reputational benefits of working with your nonprofit.
2. Crowdfunding Campaign
Crowdfunding is a type of fundraising effort that relies on many small donations from individuals. These campaigns work well because they have a low barrier to entry. Nonprofits Source reports that the average donation to a crowdfunding campaign is only $66, far below the average of $122 for other types of campaigns. You might consider making the campaign hyperspecific and outline what exactly the campaign is raising funds for.
Most crowdfunding campaigns are run via an online platform with a donation website. This facilitates an easy donation process, and you’re also able to cast a wide net by sharing a link to the donation site through a tandem social media marketing campaign.
3. Online Auction
Online auctions are common nonprofit fundraisers, but you can put a community twist on it by auctioning items from local businesses and experiences that can only be found in the area. The best thing about online auctions is that they’re typically easy to manage, they’re shareable, and they can even boost your online presence. Seek out donations for auction items to raise the most money possible.
When assembling your slate of auction items, think about these questions:
- How do these items relate to any of our existing initiatives or events? For instance, if you’re hosting a charity golf tournament, it might make sense to offer a golf-related auction item, like an in-kind donation for a stay and play package at an exclusive golf course.
- How do these items engage the community? Work with local businesses to source auction items that your community members will get excited about and feel a connection to.
- Do we have items at a variety of price points? Remember, to make a truly accessible event, you should focus on acquiring many types of auction items with various values to involve as much of the community as possible.
4. Matching Gift Drive
A matching gift is a donation that is matched in some capacity, typically by an individual donor, a donor’s employer, or a corporate partner. A match essentially makes a donor’s gift do more and increases the likelihood that community members will give. Matching gift statistics show that 84% of those surveyed are more likely to give if they know their gifts will be matched. This, combined with the urgency a match campaign creates (whether it’s for a specific time period or up to a certain dollar amount), gives nonprofits a winning community fundraising opportunity.
A good place to start is with employer-matched gifts. Dig into your donor database to find out which supporters have employers listed. Next, reach out to those folks whose employers have a matching gift program and ask them to enroll and designate your nonprofit as the beneficiary. You might also consider inviting high-capacity donors, corporate partners, or local businesses to contribute to a matching campaign fund, either for a giving day or specific campaign.
Getting Started
You don’t have to decide on a certain fundraising idea to start getting processes and information in place to help you make the best—and most fruitful—decision. To start, you can do the following:
- Collect employer information from your donors for matching gifts.
- Reach out to local businesses to build relationships with them.
- Brainstorm relevant auction items.
- Research crowdfunding platforms to see which one suits your needs and budget.