4 Factors for a Successful Nonprofit Virtual Fundraiser

Non-profit organizations are adopting virtual fundraising strategies in the new normal, but many admit that the transition hasn’t been easy. Since online events are new experiences for non-profits, virtual event production company Bizzabo observed that most organizations struggle with networking and engagement in their fundraisers. Due to the lack of face-to-face interactions, organization members find it difficult to expand their reach to donors.

With the right strategies, though, your organization can boost the engagement of donors and reach your goals for your beneficiaries. To make this happen, here are the four factors you need to establish for a successful virtual fundraising event:

Build a Professional Fundraising Team

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Before starting any fundraising event, make sure that you have the right people for the project. Recognizing that non-profits struggle with networking, you can work with community outreach workers who create strategies to directly connect marginalized communities with the relevant institutions. These professionals work at the grassroots level, so their insights regarding specific communities can add more authority and drive greater interest to your event.

Meanwhile, organizations struggling with donor engagement can consult with professionals that specialize in social media marketing due to their knowledge of virtual platforms. They can assist you in building connections with your supporters by increasing awareness and donor traffic to your virtual events.

Make Your Fundraising Goal More Visible

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Your virtual fundraising event has a big purpose—so it rightfully deserves the spotlight. You can successfully tap into the hearts of individuals that want to make a difference by showing them who needs their help the most.

In this case, you can further engage your donors by providing more information about the beneficiaries through your proposals, advertisements, and even the event proper. Use your marketing channels and your virtual events as a chance to educate individuals about your cause. By making your fundraising goals more visible, you can show interested individuals why they need to make a difference in their own communities.

Improve the Accessibility of Your Fundraiser

Aside from enhancing the visibility of your cause, you also have to improve the accessibility of your own virtual fundraiser. You need to make it easy for interested donors to join your fundraiser and to donate to your cause by choosing the right virtual platforms.

Instead of DIY-ing the process over Zoom, switch to dedicated virtual fundraising platforms that can provide key features for your event. Look for platforms that can make your events a breeze through their features for live auctions, interactive elements like live chats, and integrations with other streaming apps. Most importantly, host your event on a virtual platform that provides easy donation options so that you can streamline the process for interested donors.

Acknowledge the Support of Your Donors

Your fundraiser does not end after the event. If you want donors to keep supporting the cause of your non-profit, you need to have an established post-event strategy.

To illustrate, a study revealed that donors are 45% more likely to support charities again if they received letters of gratitude from the beneficiaries. Donors feel more joy and express greater donation desires, especially if they know that their contributions have reached the communities that they want to help. So after your virtual fundraiser, make sure that you follow up with your donors and maintain a connection with them by collaborating with communities in expressing gratitude.

It can be challenging to run virtual fundraisers, especially if you are just starting to navigate this format. However, you can meet your fundraising goals and boost the engagement of your donors by following these four strategies. By integrating these steps from your planning to your post-event processes, you will experience greater success with your events.