3 Unique Angles for Your Next Nonprofit Fundraising Campaign

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According to 2022 research by World Population Review, the United States was the most charitable country in the world from 2009 to 2018. During that period, approximately 61% of the country’s population donated to charitable organizations each year. And if that number tells us anything, it’s that non-profits have an opportunity to tap into Americans’ giving spirit to generate funding for good causes.

However, in the age of digitization, it’s not always as easy to attract new supporters –– especially since there’s a lot of online content competing for user attention. To get the funding it needs, your organization therefore needs to find creative ways to engage old and new donors alike. To that end, the following fundraising ideas can help your organization appeal to loyal donors, reach new followers, and boost fund growth.

1. Start a Social Media Challenge

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Social media challenges don’t just raise awareness –– they also help you grow your network. Take 2014’s Ice Bucket Challenge, for example. Launched by the ALS Foundation, this famous challenge dared social media users to film themselves pouring ice water over their heads to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Each participant would then tag their friends to encourage them to film their own videos and donate to ALS research. The challenge went (extraordinarily) viral, and raised a total of $115 million.

If your fundraiser is visually-oriented, you can start a tag challenge on Instagram. According to a guide to increasing Instagram followers on AskMoney, tag-a-friend efforts are particularly effective at boosting visibility, since they incentivize users to tap into their followers’ friend networks. Posts that reach high levels of engagement can also make it to Instagram’s Explore page and attract followers from beyond the initial cluster of related networks. Starting a challenge on TikTok can also be a great option, especially since the platform encourages users to build on existing content.

2. Host a Live Stream

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Lately, live streaming has proven to be an effective way to generate donations. To encourage young people to vote during the 2020 elections for instance, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez broadcasted a live stream of the popular social deduction game Among Us –– with help from established Twitch streamers like Pokimane and DrLupo. The following month, Ocasio-Cortez hosted a second livestream, which aimed to raise money for COVID-19 pandemic assistance. The stream successfully raised $200,000.

Non-profits can follow these examples and stream popular games while advocating for their causes. If you want your stream to be more relevant to your cause, you can also broadcast in-person events and make your organization’s fundraising efforts visible to a wider audience. To generate donations, you can use Paybee’s Virtual Gala tool, which helps organizations host live streams and collect pledges on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch. The tool even comes with a stream activity monitor that can help you keep your guests engaged.

3. Teach a Virtual Class

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Those who want to host a smaller-scale event for a select few dedicated followers can also think about teaching a virtual class. Virtual classes are easy to set up: All you need is a teleconferencing platform and an instructor. Once set up, non-profits can use virtual classes to educate their followers on initiatives and advocacies. To attend the class, participants will be charged fees that ultimately serve as their donations.

If you plan on launching a recurring series of virtual classes, meanwhile, make sure to gather feedback from students at the end of each session. EdTech Magazine recommends asking students questions using Google Forms or a similar platform. This way, you can determine what you need to do to make your classes more effective, which will in turn make your campaign more successful in the long run.

Reaching your fundraising goals is far from easy. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep donors engaged. You may just find that you can significantly boost your fundraising campaigns with fun online events like the ones suggested above.

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