Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits During the Pandemic – Ask any nonprofit what their biggest challenge is, and they’ll probably tell you that it’s fundraising. It’s no secret that most nonprofits operate on strictre sources. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has dried up government funding as well as private donations. While governments divert their money towards the pandemic, donors are wary of giving during times of economic uncertainty.
While it’s easy for any nonprofit leader to feel disheartened in this situation, there are some steps you can take to boost revenue. Here are some fundraising ideas for nonprofits during the pandemic:
1. Use the Right Platform
Use the right fundraising software for nonprofits to find new ways to stimulate your donors and raise funds for your organization. And when you use a nonprofit Constituent Relationship Management (CRM), you also have other benefits.
You can conveniently manage your entire nonprofit remotely from your fingertips and reduce costs by improving your workflow and productivity. You also save time with so much functionality in one system. Not more spreadsheets, word documents, and other files to worry about when you have a powerful CRM software to run your operations.
2. Sumac’s Fundraising Thermometer
Give Sumac’s fundraising thermometer a glance for a simple visualization tool that can help your fundraising efforts. Here is how to use it:
- Start by analyzing your campaign’s size. Is it a large campaign with multiple events and thousands of potential donors or a more locally concentrated effort? Depending on the nature of the campaign, you can use a fundraising thermometer to track all consolidated donations and motivate funders.
- Remember, fundraising thermometers work best for shorter campaigns and specific events. It’s a tool designed to give donors a sense of urgency in the short-term.
- Use your fundraising thermometer after examining your target audience. The tool is best for less formal events.
- Use market research and data analytics tools to set a realistic goal for your fundraising campaign. If you aim too high, the campaign could backfire. Your donors will be demotivated if they don’t think your goal is within reach. It’s also a good idea to use the fundraising thermometer after you’ve received some donations to let other donors feel like the campaign is rolling along.
- Don’t forget to update your donations thermometer as your campaign progresses. Your donors need to see progress to believe in your campaign. If you take too long to update your donations thermometer, a sudden change in the visual representation may cause donors to question your credibility.
3. Third-party Events
Try finding supporters who wish to run their own fundraising events independently to generate some revenue. While your nonprofit is not responsible for or in-charge of third-party fundraising events, make sure that your supporters understand the vision and theme of your organization to avoid undesirable outcomes.
4. Virtual Walks
Virtual walks are an excellent option for nonprofits to raise money while observing the physical distancing protocols for the pandemic. To encourage followers, you can send out gift bags, create challenges, and even host ceremonies. Not only is a virtual walk a good way to stimulate donors, but it’s good for the body.
By thinking outside the box and taking advantage of technology, you can find fun and unique ways to conduct successful fundraising campaigns, even during the pandemic.
