You Ask, We Answer: Creating Successful Online Campaigns

Last week’s Twitter Q&A had some great questions asked and we hope that these highlights and expanded answers help you towards your online fundraising goals.

Q: When you don’t have a huge following, what are 3 good tips to get people to pledge?

Tip 1: Reach out to your small following and ask them to share with their contacts on social networking sites.

Facebook has over 350 million active users and the average user has about 130 friends. With these facts in mind, it’s obvious why social media fundraising should be a top priority in your fundraising strategy. Even if you only have a following of 20 people on Facebook, it means you have the potential to get your organization’s name out to 2,600 people if each supporter shares your post or link. If just ten percent of those people are inspired by your mission enough to share with their contacts, you could possibly reach another 33,800 potential donors. Realistically not every one of the 130 friends checks their messages daily and the average post lasts on a page about 20 minutes, but where else can you spend a few minutes and zero dollars to reach so many potential donors? This is why it is critical to create thoughtful posts on a regular basis with intriguing pictures to stand out from the crowd.

Tip 2: Create an engaging story that is easy for people with a shared interest to relate to and rally behind. While Facebook is an awesome hook, there needs to some great bait on the line for donors to bite. Your story needs to be relatable, cause an emotional reaction, and honest. It’s not the most eloquent or detailed story that gets the best response, but one that is inspirational and heartfelt.

For each story, it is also important to include a photo to increase the memorable factor for the reader. In a society that is as visually driven as ours, we connect more with a person or location when we know what it looks like.

Tip 3: Contact local news and related websites to ask for coverage of your fundraiser. Not only does this provide legitimacy for people who are unfamiliar with your cause, but it connects you with people who are like-minded. Facebook casts a broad net, but partnering with related websites narrows down the audience to those who care about a similar cause. Local media is also a great resource to rally your community around your online fundraising campaign.

* This question also received an answer from another Fundly Campaign, Bruce Funds. They suggested: “Humanize your cause. Put a face on your needs, if possible.”

Q: Can online fundraising be used in conjunction with “old-school” fundraising events?

A: Online fundraising is a great way to rally supporters before the event and allow donations for those unable to attend. It is great for advertising, taking RSVPs, asking for volunteers, requesting donations for an auction, and for posting pictures after the event and thanking those who participated. We did a series back in May pertaining to event fundraising that you may want to check out: Event Fundraising Using Social Media.

Q: Is it ok for a kid to run a campaign?

A: Yes! Kid participation helps people become more invested. Here are a couple of examples: MAKE-A-STAND! and Jack’s FUNraising Page.

I also wrote an article on this topic that will give you helpful tips and ideas for getting the next generation involved in philanthropic work: Getting Kids Involved in Online Fundraising.

Do you have a question about online fundraising that you want to ask one of our Fundly professionals? Follow #fundraisingtips on Twitter every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time. We look forward to helping you create successful online fundraising campaigns to promote your cause. If you won’t be able to attend the Q&A, leave your question in the comment section below and look for it in the recap next week!

Event Fundraising Using Social Media Part III

In this final installment of this series which focuses on utilizing social media networks to create successful fundraisers, I thought I’d include practical tips that are easily incorporated into your planning strategies. Every nonprofit that I know of seems to have more tasks to address than time, finances, and manpower can complete. Fortunately, social media and web usage can eliminate these obstacles.

Facebook is great because it connects friends of like interests. Are you coordinating a food and wine tasting event, a garden tour, or another fundraiser that is based on a specific theme? Post it on Facebook and have your donors “Like” it. This one small click of the mouse will then share your link your donor’s social network(s), therefore advertising it to many who may have a similar interest. The most important aspect of social media platforms is to get people talking and sharing how great your organization is and that your fundraiser is not to be missed. An invitation can get lost in a pile of junk mail, but encouragement from a friend can bring great results.

Many people neglect to give to organizations because they don’t know what the specific needs are. Create a tab on your website or list on your fundraising page citing different ways that supporters can contribute to your cause. You may need volunteers to usher at a concert, business owners could donate a gift basket for a raffle, or possibly a printer would be willing to donate product to your event in exchange for advertising.
Take advantage of free advertising on social media! Do you have a Facebook timeline yet? Before someone gives to your cause or takes the time to attend an event, they’ll probably check out your nonprofit online.

There are hundreds of great charities vying for everyone’s time and money, why should people take the time to care about your nonprofit? A Facebook timeline is a great way to map out what accomplishments you have, what projects you are working on, what past events look like, and it can list comments of what your donors think of your organization. The cover photo is an amazing opportunity to showcase a photo to inspire, intrigue, and impress.

Events are a fun way to meet and greet donors while laying the foundation for a strong partnership. Online resources can get them there and help you organize a fantastic event. May you have future success in your event fundraising activities!

Event Fundraising Using Social Media Part III

In this final installment of this series which focuses on utilizing social media networks to create successful fundraisers, I thought I’d include practical tips that are easily incorporated into your planning strategies. Every nonprofit that I know of seems to have more tasks to address than time, finances, and manpower can complete. Fortunately, social media and web usage can eliminate these obstacles.

Facebook is great because it connects friends of like interests. Are you coordinating a food and wine tasting event, a garden tour, or another fundraiser that is based on a specific theme? Post it on Facebook and have your donors “Like” it. This one small click of the mouse will then share your link your donor’s social network(s), therefore advertising it to many who may have a similar interest. The most important aspect of social media platforms is to get people talking and sharing how great your organization is and that your fundraiser is not to be missed. An invitation can get lost in a pile of junk mail, but encouragement from a friend can bring great results.

Many people neglect to give to organizations because they don’t know what the specific needs are. Create a tab on your website or list on your fundraising page citing different ways that supporters can contribute to your cause. You may need volunteers to usher at a concert, business owners could donate a gift basket for a raffle, or possibly a printer would be willing to donate product to your event in exchange for advertising.
Take advantage of free advertising on social media! Do you have a Facebook timeline yet? Before someone gives to your cause or takes the time to attend an event, they’ll probably check out your nonprofit online.

There are hundreds of great charities vying for everyone’s time and money, why should people take the time to care about your nonprofit? A Facebook timeline is a great way to map out what accomplishments you have, what projects you are working on, what past events look like, and it can list comments of what your donors think of your organization. The cover photo is an amazing opportunity to showcase a photo to inspire, intrigue, and impress.

Events are a fun way to meet and greet donors while laying the foundation for a strong partnership. Online resources can get them there and help you organize a fantastic event. May you have future success in your event fundraising activities!

Event Fundraising Using Social Media Part II

I have a love/hate relationship with fundraising events. From the planning perspective, I love creating all of the little pieces and then putting them together for a grand final product. I hate the aftermath of the event which involves calculating the numbers, putting away the supplies, and doing all of the follow-up work. From an attendee point-of-view, I love the anticipation of getting ready, hearing the heartwarming stories of how people are making the world a better place, and giving what I can to further a worthy cause. I hate the big pressure asks filled with guilt that some organizations deliver or events that drag on well into the night while my stomach wrestles to digest a piece of rubbery chicken and too sweet chocolate cake.

To continue with this week’s theme of event planning using online resources, here are some ways to increase the “loves” and decrease the “hates” that you and your donors may feel at any given event:

DO get everyone in your organization excited and onboard with big events. Assign tasks to your employees, from working the registration table, to decorating, to selling raffle tickets. This is a great way for your guests to meet your staff and to talk with representatives of your organization.

DON’T assign big tasks to volunteers you haven’t met before or give jobs to your employees that don’t coincide with their comfort zone or skill level. If the first person your guest meets is a nervous, stressed out volunteer at the registration table, it does not set a great tone for the evening. Also, if your employee is shy, he won’t be successful at selling raffle tickets and will be miserable all evening… not the best impression for donors.

DO use social networking sites to ask for help from other professionals. If you’re putting on a golf tournament for the first time, ask for advice from other nonprofit leaders on LinkedIn about successful games and prizes that they have used. If you want to hold a benefit concert, take a poll on Facebook to see what genre music would be most popular to fill the seats with attendees.

DON’T post invitations on Facebook for higher end events or when you have a specific goal in mind. For example, your annual banquet should be for faithful, generous donors so you can spend time with those supporters who are committed to investing in your cause. You don’t want to waste time and money on someone who may give a onetime $50 gift when there is a donor who has given consistently over the years and you are rarely able to thank him in person. Create intimate events with a larger budget for donors with greater potential and larger events with a smaller budget for average to lower end donors. Time and money are always at a premium, so invest wisely.

There are countless ways to incorporate social media sites and online fundraising into your event planning strategies to ensure success. Tune in tomorrow for another installment of tips and things to avoid when you start to plan your next event.

Event Fundraising Using Social Media Part I

It’s all over the news that President Obama held a huge fundraising gala at George Clooney’s house and raised over $14 million dollars. While this is the most any president has raised in one night, I hardly expect the average nonprofit to charge $40,000 per ticket and reap the same results. However, fundraising events are a major part of many charities’ strategy to earn dollars and this week we will focus on making the most of your efforts to host a successful event.

As a former special events coordinator for several nonprofits, I’ve been able to be a part of many different types of fundraisers including dinners at elite country clubs, crab feeds, golf tournaments, corporate receptions, and intimate concerts.

Although I’ve shared some tips in past blogs, I thought I’d expand on some of them for this week’s theme.

1)      Host a mix of high and low-end events – Of course we’d all like to host a celebrity endorsed and attended event where you put all of your energy into one evening of grandeur with stellar results, but the chances of that happening can be compared to winning the Mega Millions lottery. In all likelihood, your donor list is probably made up of a variety of givers from those who give 20 dollars a month to high-end bequest and planned giving supporters. With this in mind, one organization I worked for had an elegant banquet once a year for top donors and a Fourth of July picnic for volunteers and lower end donors. Yes, we need to court those with heavy pocket books, but the amount from lesser givers certainly adds up, too.

2)      Give incentive to attend – When we were in the planning stages of one of these higher end banquets, we were researching different speakers who were well-known and had a passion for our cause. Of course many cost a pretty penny and so the question came up whether the draw to our event was the entertainment or the compassion to support our mission. The answer was both. Some guests need a hook to entice them to come (especially the newer supporters) and longtime donors feel a dedication to the organization and will likely attend regardless of the speaker. I’m sure many guests would have donated money to the candidate anyway, but most attended the Obama affair to check out Clooney’s home and the other famous guests in attendance.

3)      Get the word out – Just as in high school, many people will only attend an event if they know what to expect and who will be attending. For non-formal events, advertise and promote on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks your organization participates in. Direct people to your website and show pictures of past years’ events. Post updates on prizes, auction items, menu selections, or entertainment that will be featured. Also, if someone is unable to attend, give the option of a donation button so that they can still contribute to your cause online.

Online fundraising is a great way to get donors to give, but event fundraising is also a must for many organizations to create a stronger bond of partnership and dedication between the supporter and charity. More tips to come this week to help you create a profitable event to benefit your organization.

Fundraising for Nonprofits on Facebook Provides More Than Just Dollars

When I think of fundraising, the first thing that comes to mind is a donation check. I’m sure many donors also have this image in their mind, but fundraising can be so much more! Just as the saying goes, “Ask and you shall receive,” think about what you are asking from your donors on Facebook and your other social media sites. Are you limiting yourself to just financial contributions?

Currently I am working on a golf tournament and have created a Fundly account to promote the event and the camp for foster children that it is supporting. Of course we are asking for money to aid the cause, but a Fundly website is more than just a financial donation site. From small to large nonprofits, there are a variety of ways to reach out to your donors.

Here some non-monetary asks that we have made: golf participants, volunteers for the day of the tournament, corporate sponsorships, and business donations for the raffle that will be held at the banquet after the tournament. We also made a separate section where people can directly work with the nonprofit by volunteering as camp counselors, provide prayer support for this ministry, donate craft items for the campers, or volunteer at registration.

Updating and recruiting golfers has been much easier through this site, too. With each post that the committee chairman puts on the Fundly webpage, the golfers that he is friends with can be reminded of discounts, deadlines and new course features that have been added to the tournament. He can also post how many spaces are left and promote the mission of the cause.

In a sad turn of events, one of the golfers who had participated several times in this event passed away a couple of weeks ago. We knew he loved to golf and wanted to help the children in this organization, so we also have started receiving donations in memory of this incredible man and will send his family a list of family and friends who contributed a gift in remembrance.

While every organization could certainly benefit from monetary contributions, it’s important to remember that social media networks are not limited to just one type of donation. With Fundly, there are a variety of ways to get your supporters to join as partners to your cause. What will you ask for today?

If you want to raise money on Facebook for your cause, you can start your own Facebook fundraising campaign today with Fundly!

Laying the Foundation for Successful Fundraisers

There are a few truths that are undeniable in the philanthropic world: First of all, you cannot run a nonprofit without fundraising. Second only to a heart of compassion, money is the catalyst that drives a charitable organization to accomplish social good. Next, if you always do what you always did, you’re always going to get what you’ve always got. Fundraising is about change. Finally, fundraising takes immense planning. Rarely does money come in by accident.

Now that we’ve established some basic ground rules, it’s important to keep in mind the basics to fundraising that can get lost in the shuffle over time. Here are some foundational steps in the fundraising process:

1)      Create short term and long term goals – Don’t bite off more that you can chew. Every organization has visions of grandeur about having 50 or more employees, a building that spans a city block and a bank statement that has as many zero’s in it to rival Donald Trump’s. Can this dream be fulfilled over time? Maybe. However, it’s important to have a pyramid of steps to accomplish on the way to the grand goal. Start off with establishing an office in a good location, a staff that is committed and manageable and a bank account that boasts of three months worth of expenses saved. If you aim too high, discouragement is bound to set in.

2)      Count the cost – Before building a house, it is essential to research how much supplies, labor and time will be invested into the project. No one wants to live in a home without a roof or plumbing! The same goes into fundraising. Create the best fundraiser you can within the man power and budget that you have to dedicate to it. It is better have an event with plenty of food and fewer guests than to invite the masses for stale crackers and packaged cookies. Also, you don’t want to kill your staff and have them face burnout.

3)      Delegate to those you trust – Just as King Arthur had his faithful Knights of the Round Table, so every leader needs a committee of competent advisors. When everyone does their part and does it well, then no one in particular is overly stressed. Find the best group of people to work with who have the same passion and dedication as you, and the fundraising process will go smoothly and efficiently.

4)      Slow and steady wins the race – Relationships and a consistent flow of donations both take time to nurture and grow. Showing your organization to be reliable, trustworthy, significant and purposeful will definitely set the foundation for future partners and successful fundraisers.

5)      Be willing to change with the times – Review your list of donors and see if there are gaps. Is most of your list made up of seniors? Create a social media campaign to reach the younger crowd. Fundly has a variety of ways to support an online fundraising campaign for your charity. Is your annual banquet declining in guests? Maybe a concert or food and wine tasting evening will bring in new donors. Just because you’ve always done it one way does not mean that that is the only way.

5 Steps to Creating a Successful Fundraiser

I love event fundraising and the excitement it brings: generous people getting together to further a worthy cause, deliciously-bad-for-you food being served and the account totals that are calculated at the end of the event. A fun evening AND the chance to help others; what could be better!? Here are some guidelines to help your event run smoothly from recruiting volunteers to social media fundraising.

Right now I am on a committee for a Crab Feed to take place in early March so my mind is in event mode. I am in charge of the decorations and live and silent auctions, but somehow committee members seem to have an opinion and hand in all the other areas of the event, too. While this is far from being my first non-profit event that I am involved with, I am still learning a ton about the process of creating a successful fundraiser. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1)      What is your specific goal? What project are you working towards and what is your financial target? When people know how much you want to raise, it’s much easier to reach a specific amount. If you aim low, that’s where you’ll end up.

2)      Is this a one time or annual event? – When you keep this idea in mind, it will determine how you plan. Keep meticulous records, take pictures and video for the following year’s advertising and announce it at the event so your donors can plan to save the date. It is also important that everything runs smoothly so that your guests will want to come back and bring friends.

3)      Carefully choose your volunteers – The leader of the non-profit that I am volunteering for in the Crab Feed is awesome; she is gracious, appreciative, listens and has a great passion for the cause. The volunteer leader under her is quite the opposite. Determine what your volunteers’ strengths and weaknesses are so you can apply their skills to the best job suited for them. Choose your volunteers and their roles carefully because they reflect you and your charity.

4)      Relationship building – The best way to get donations for an auction is through relationships. Do you go to a particular restaurant every week? Ask for a gift certificate. Do you have a faithful donor who owns a spa? Ask for a product gift basket. Sending out a mass of donation letters to companies is basically a waste of time and postage.

5)      Get the word out – Facebook, Twitter and e-mails are a great way to promote your event through online fundraising tools. Instead of sending save the date cards, write a few posts or tweets. Online communication is also a good way to ask for donations (but be specific on what you are looking for.)This method is perfect for informal information and requests, but stick to the tried and true invitations for formal events. A donation link on your website is also perfect if someone is unable to attend; they can still contribute through without being present. Finally, you can use this medium for a general thank you and update on your goal, but send traditional thank you letters for those who donated or participated.

Event Fundraising? 5 Tips to Make it a Hit

I can’t remember a time when my dad wasn’t on some board to help the homeless or that involved a ministry. When I became a teenager my parents started toting me along to various event fundraising banquets and I would paste on a smile and present a firm handshake. Then when I needed a job I accepted the position as Special Events Coordinator at a local mission.

From golf tournaments to banquets to toy giveaways, I learned the ropes of event planning. Next I moved on to work at a symphony where I continued planning events such as fashion shows, intimate concerts at donor’s homes and supporter meet-and-greets. Here are five tips that I’ve learned over the years:

1) Plan, plan, plan – The first vital step is to create a firm foundation for your event. What is your goal for the event and who do you want to attend? Who are the most important people on your guest list and what dates are they available? Next, pick a date that doesn’t coincide with other local charity events that may vie for your donor’s attentions and that doesn’t land too close to any holiday or sporting event.

2) Timelines are your best friend – Once you’ve established a date, guest list, “tone” for your party (ex. formal, casual, intimate, etc.), create calendars and timelines detailing every aspect for your event. The calendar should have drop dates for Save the Date cards (if necessary for a large event); when the invitations should be designed, approved, sent, and RSVP deadline; when to meet with caterer or facilities coordinator; meetings with the event committee, and all of those things on your to do list. Also, create a “day of” timeline accounting for every minute of the event day from set up to the presentation itself. For example, assign times for your set up crew to arrival, guest arrival, salad served, main course served, MC introduces your CEO, video presentation, etc. When you’re well organized things will go much smoother.

3) Leave them wanting more – Many non-profits leaders are so passionate about their project that they want their guests to catch that same fire by giving endless examples of how they’ve helped people and what is in store for the future. That is great information for special events, but stop way before your guests start to check their watches and their coffee gets cold. From guest arrival to “Thank you for coming,” your typical event should last no more than three hours tops.

4) You’ve got to spend money to make money – Your event is a reflection of your organization and many times you have this one chance to meet donors or future supporters face to face. If you run out of food or have cheap appetizers, your guests will not have a good experience with your non-profit. Spend a little more or invite fewer guests to ensure that you can provide the quality that puts your best foot forward. It’s the lasting impression that counts.

5) Relationships – This is by far the most important point! Make each guest feel welcomed and appreciated. It’s the human touch that creates a partnership and a lasting relationship. Have your leadership team and staff spread out and talk to as many people as they can. Thank each guest for coming and tell them you value their sacrifice and support. Be genuine and caring.

Special events are a great way to fundraise and build a foundation for a strong relationship with your donors. Once they’ve committed to your cause, keep the momentum going through social media fundraising and encourage them to share your message with their friends. Although you may not see instant returns on your effort, special events are a high investment, high return.

Event Fundraising – How to Host the Perfect Event Fundraiser

Event fundraising is a great way to raise money for any group, cause or club. There are endless fantastic events that can be held which can be lucrative when raising money. Many groups and clubs require a great deal of funds in order to participate in the group. There are also many wonderful causes that event fundraisers can help with raising money for. In order to host a great event, the event must be planned in advance. Organization is key to hosting the perfect event that will raise money for the cause, group or club that is sponsoring the event.

When planning for event fundraisers, it is important to decide on the type of event that will best suit the cause, club or group. There are many different types of events that work well for event fundraising. To host a high end event, a charity casino night is a good choice. Many high end events can be a high dollar table dinners with special performances. These are typically black tie events and can bring in a great deal of money. Other types of events can be carnivals, 5K runs, special concerts and other types of events.

After deciding on the type of event that will be held, the next step in the event fundraising is to decide on where the fundraiser will take place. Reserving banquet halls or certain areas to host event fundraisers is a good idea, because these venues can book up early. Making a list of many different locations, and then narrowing the venue down by the important factors is important. These important factors can include how many people the venue can hold, the price of the venue and the time frame it is available. Preparing a cost sheet when organizing an event is a good place to start keeping track of how much the event will cost to host.

Once an event location has been determined for the fundraiser, it is important to start planning the details of the event. Event fundraisers take a great deal of organization to plan. All the details that will make the event a success can take time to finalize and organize. An event fundraising committee typically works on all of the details, and the event comes together with the help of many people who coordinate the details together. A successful fundraising event is in the details, so it is best to leave an adequate amount of time before the event to plan all of the details.

If your event needs to raise money, you can create and manage multiple event fundraising campaigns by using the simple and easy to use social fundraising tools provided by Fundly. Event fundraisers that use Fundly’s online fundraising platform to raise money online drastically increase the amount of donations in less time than traditional event fundraising campaigns.

Fundraising Online with Free Fundraising Tools for Causes

If you want to raise money for charity, fundraising can be done online using various free fundraising tools that are available in websites. Internet surfers can become possible donors. The first thing to do is to create a website and make your presence known online. With a website or a web page, this will get you money from donors with just a click of the mouse. A website will allow you to make a fundraising event, do an online auction, accept donations and sell event fundraiser tickets.

Once you have a website, you can do all the preparations and invitations of a fundraising event. You can hold a dinner-concert where the proceeds will go to your favorite charity. You can invite donors to the event through your website which contains all the necessary information of your activity. They can buy the tickets online using their credit cards and confirm their attendance there. This will save you and your donor time and money spent on communication.

With your website, you can do fundraising online by accepting donations. A donor can just give your organization money using his credit card. For this, you will need a tool to be used on your website that will allow you to collect money via e-transaction. Make sure your site has a donor’s page and make it informative, attractive and compelling enough to capture people’s interest and encourage them to donate.

Donating via credit cards is a way of showing that your organization is professional and legitimate and because of its convenience and accessibility, it will encourage supportive people who are far away to donate.
You can also sell event fundraising tickets via your website. People who are interested to attend the fundraising activity you have organized, such as a benefit concert, can with just one click and purchase many tickets at once. They no longer need to go to an office to buy the tickets thus saving them time and money. For your part, selling tickets online will allow you to make an easy inventory as online ticket sales can be immediately documented and easily tracked.

You can also conduct online auctions with your website. Ask your family, friends and members of your organizations to donate some things and sell them online. You can also enter into agreement with other websites that do online auctions and bid items with them. You share the profits, depending on your agreement. Donors will purchase something they do need and be able to contribute to the less fortunate or to the cause you are fighting for.

When you have a fundraising event advertised in your website, you can add a Sponsors Page where individuals and businesses can place their ads. They just need to upload their ad and pay for it via credit card. This will earn you money and give your donors exposure. You can also tie-up with a fundraising website that will allow you to create a web page with them. There, you can have free fundraising where you invite people to donate to you while the website owner manages the page for you.

With these fundraising ideas, your noble cause will surely succeed.

Event Fundraising Ideas: Improving Donor Relations by Fundraising Online

We all have our favorite events.  It may be a local, national, or international, but there is one that is closest our hearts.  For example, if you are athletic, a fun run or a marathon would be very important to you.  If you are planning to raise money to be able to host an event or at least support one, you can take advantage of the internet.  There are many different event fundraising ideas.  There are dinners, auctions, raffles, and more.

However, you have to be careful in choosing which one would suit you and your prospect donor best.  For example, if you are planning to set up a fashion show event, your target should be people who think fashion is necessary.  You have to target people who you think would be interested in your future event.  Most eventfundraising ideas are categorized according to people’s interests.  The down side to these, however, is that there might not be a lot of people who would be interested enough in your event to donate money.  It would be hard to say now, until you get to the point of counting your collected donations.  You might end up spending more than what you have collected.

To ensure the success of your event fundraising efforts, choose a method that would target anyone, regardless of interests and professions.  This way, you would be able to collect more funds for the event you are planning.  This means that your fundraising idea should be something that anyone can relate to.  It should be neutral enough to catch massive attention.  You could think of event fundraising ideas that could match these descriptions until your head aches, or you could visitFundly.com.

Fundly is a website that provides you the opportunity to raise much needed funds through the internet.  This is the best option if you want to seek monetary aid from people from all walks of life.  The first thing you have to do is set up an account with Fundly.  Once you have successfully registered an account, the site would guide you through setting up your fundraising page.  This is now where you would be promoting your future event.  This is also where you would ask for monetary donations to help make the event happen.  This page can be customized using the innovative tools provided by Fundly.  It is so easy to use that you do not have to be a computer expert to make your page.

The great thing about this online fundraising platform called Fundly, you could post your event fundraising page on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.  This way, you would be able to access people from different walks of life through your post.  They can easily view it and make donations through online banking.  No other event fundraising ideas are this easy, convenient, and effective. You can even encourage people within your network to repost or share your link to their own networks.  Doing it this way will multiply your donors and supporters, and it will also multiply the success of your fundraising as well as your future event.

The Importance of Event Fundraising Online

Unfortunate events occur each day like disaster, tragedies, death or even unexpected sickness. On these times many people need our help most specially the poor. Wealthy or not most of time, kind hearted people donate a portion of their saving to charities in hopes of helping those who are in need.

Charitable organizations always play a very important role in helping the less fortunate section of our society by organizing traditional event fundraising programs. However, with our technology nowadays and with the boom of the internet, event fundraising online grew and now has become a more popular way of raising good money to support its cause.

Since the purpose of an event fundraiser is to accumulate as much funds as they can to support its cause. Online fundraising has been proven to be more productive and cost efficient.  In a short amount of time especially on emergencies doing it online would allow you to generate significant revenue and therefore as a result you would be able to help the needy much more quickly. It allows organizations to reach out to donors that they would not be able to normally reach using traditional fundraising. With the use of the internet not only did it make it easier for organizations to reach out other people but it also made it easier for those who would want to contribute.

Here are more advantages of creating an online event fundraisers as oppose to doing it the conventional way. With the use of the internet you would be able to extend the range of reaching out to potential donors even without someone personally soliciting for help. Going online also has an advantage in cost-effective collection. Since you have a wider range of possible donors, contributions even in small amounts when accumulated would come up to a substantial amount. You also get to have faster access to the funds that have been donated and will make reporting to your peers more flexible and instantaneously.

As for the donors, event fundraising online also made it easier for them to contribute to its purpose. It has given them the convenience since they no longer have to go out or dress up to attend a traditional event fundraiser, but with just the tip of the fingers they would be able to help out. It gave donors peace of mind since they get an acknowledgement and will receive a receipt as a proof of their transaction. Such small details make each donor confident that their donations would reach those in need.

As for the conventional fundraising, they have the same cause but many disadvantages could be sighted like the hassle of setting up for the event, asking your peers to go door to door or even bothering your family, friends or neighbours or having problems with time, direct sales, inventory, keeping track of sales and handling the money which is a nightmare, limited sales opportunities, or customers ending up buying things that they really do not need are some of the facts that made traditional fundraisers decrease their amount of giving and made online event fundraising such a success.