Fundly Spotlight: Online Fundraising Benefits Students Abroad

In the United States, it can be easy to take our educational system for granted. While there may be varying levels of excellence offered, the opportunities that a majority of students possess in our country are staggering in comparison to much of the world. With this in mind, Tanzania 365 was started by Marisa Ranieri using a Fundly online fundraising page.

Marisa is currently a senior at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, majoring in International Affairs with a focus in Africa and Contemporary Cultures & Societies.  With a passion for East Africa, she came across some startling statistics in her research.  Though the nation of Tanzania has committed itself to improving the opportunities of its youth, the most recent estimate shows that the current education system is about 85,000 teachers short of being efficient. Not only is this shortage severe, but half of all students do not pass primary school (elementary and middle school) and only 10% graduate from secondary school with the majority of these students being male.

Marisa realized that she had to do something to help this major discrepancy. Her project, Tanzania 365, will be a one-year online documentary of living in Tanzania while she dedicates herself to public service as a teacher in a rural village. While partnering with WorldTeach, an established 501(c)3 organization, she will venture into a foreign classroom to make a difference in countless lives.

With 23 supporters and 22 donors, Marisa has exceeded her goal of $3,650 by raising $4,245! She started off with a great strategy: her game plan was to get 365 donors to contribute $10 each to her cause. On her fundraising page she clearly states that the funds will be used to pay for ensuring internet connectivity, having a pay-phone charged with shilingi so she could contact people in case of emergency, and the cost of providing school supplies for a classroom of 40 plus students. Needless to say, her idea worked!

What tips would Marisa give to other Fundly users?

• Share Your Passion – “More often than not, it’s the hook, line and sinker for potential donors. People can sense your energy through your words, so don’t hold back!”
• Repetition is Key – “In order to let people know about my Fundly page, I posted about it on my website multiple times, and included a widget on the right-hand side so people could click and be directed straight to my Fundly giving page. I also posted about my Fundly page on my Tanzania 365 Facebook Page and Twitter accounts, and made sure to @Fundly right there in the message. That allowed for re-tweets by both my friends, and Fundly itself!”
• Find People Who Care – “When I searched for the kernel of fundraising truth I came up with this: find people who care. Whether that’s your Great Aunt Sally or someone you’ve never met; if you are passionate about your mission and dedicated to seeing it through, you’ll find those people. Maybe they’ll come to you, you’ll go to them, or you’ll meet somewhere in between. Either way, you’ll find success.”

Connecting with Other Nonprofit Leaders

Nonprofit leaders are either inspired human beings with a passion for change or just plain glutton for punishment. I can think of few other careers where people work so hard for so little and come away from the office with a smile on their faces. Amongst running a complex business, managing a variety of personalities, attending a spectrum of events, and always being on their best behavior in case they find themselves in contact with a potential donor, these captains of the philanthropic world also wear multiple hats: ambassador, accountant, counselor, marketing manager, and errand boy.


Connecting with other people who are in a similar position isn’t just a helpful idea, it’s a necessity.
Other than finances, it seems like one major thing that those who run organizations always lack is time. Whether it is due to running from meeting to meeting or following up on a dozen urgent phone calls, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Fortunately with social media, a lot of connections and inquiries can be addressed in one place. Want to know what other organizations in your area are doing? Friend them on Facebook. Looking for some new fundraising ideas? Search for #fundraisingtips. Want to plug in with other leaders in the corporate world? Create an account on LinkedIn. Knowing where to look is half the battle.

While social media fundraising is one of the newest ways to garner funds, it doesn’t have to be complicated. The good thing is that with every new development, there are some great resources to provide updates for the common user. Mashable.com is an amazing resource that always has the most current and usable information pertaining to online technology. HuffingtonPost.com is also another resource I rely on for up to the minute news and predicting the social tides. If you just want quick tutorials, YouTube has a ton of hands on videos to show how to navigate social networking sites. There are also some great blogs written to help master the use of the web. (Personally, I do my best to find practical ways to apply online resources into your fundraising strategies. I’ve worked in the nonprofit world for over 15 years and I write about things I’ve learned or that I think will help the charities that I’m currently working with.)

Other resources to consider are the great conferences that you can attend or view online. Most conferences either do live streaming of the presentations or video it to be viewed at a later date. With the rise of social media, you can also follow along with most tech conferences on Twitter by following the appropriate hashtag.

If you live in or near the Silicon Valley, Social Media for Nonprofits is bringing their informative conference to the area on July 26, featuring an all-star lineup sharing practical tips and tools for leveraging social media for fundraising, marketing and advocacy. Fundly CEO Dave Boyce will be participating along with keynote Beth Kanter, plus Libby Leffler of Facebook, Meg Garlinghouse of LinkedIn, Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, CEO of Goodwill, Sarah Dines of Change.org, Dawn Andreas of Eventbrite, Lee Fox of KooDooZ, and media consultant Amy Gahran.*

Online fundraising (or running a nonprofit for that matter) can be a lot easier when you partner with others in the field. Connecting with other leaders through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, conferences, and doing a little internet research can maximize the most of your precious time.

*Discounted tickets are available for small nonprofits at $95. For for-profit and larger nonprofits, use the discount code “Fundly” to save $20 off $125 and $175 tickets. Conference registration includes access to the full day conference, breakfast, and lunch. For more information or to sign up, visit Social Media For Nonprofits – Silicon Valley 

Connecting with Other Nonprofit Leaders

Nonprofit leaders are either inspired human beings with a passion for change or just plain glutton for punishment. I can think of few other careers where people work so hard for so little and come away from the office with a smile on their faces. Amongst running a complex business, managing a variety of personalities, attending a spectrum of events, and always being on their best behavior in case they find themselves in contact with a potential donor, these captains of the philanthropic world also wear multiple hats: ambassador, accountant, counselor, marketing manager, and errand boy.


Connecting with other people who are in a similar position isn’t just a helpful idea, it’s a necessity.
Other than finances, it seems like one major thing that those who run organizations always lack is time. Whether it is due to running from meeting to meeting or following up on a dozen urgent phone calls, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Fortunately with social media, a lot of connections and inquiries can be addressed in one place. Want to know what other organizations in your area are doing? Friend them on Facebook. Looking for some new fundraising ideas? Search for #fundraisingtips. Want to plug in with other leaders in the corporate world? Create an account on LinkedIn. Knowing where to look is half the battle.

While social media fundraising is one of the newest ways to garner funds, it doesn’t have to be complicated. The good thing is that with every new development, there are some great resources to provide updates for the common user. Mashable.com is an amazing resource that always has the most current and usable information pertaining to online technology. HuffingtonPost.com is also another resource I rely on for up to the minute news and predicting the social tides. If you just want quick tutorials, YouTube has a ton of hands on videos to show how to navigate social networking sites. There are also some great blogs written to help master the use of the web. (Personally, I do my best to find practical ways to apply online resources into your fundraising strategies. I’ve worked in the nonprofit world for over 15 years and I write about things I’ve learned or that I think will help the charities that I’m currently working with.)

Other resources to consider are the great conferences that you can attend or view online. Most conferences either do live streaming of the presentations or video it to be viewed at a later date. With the rise of social media, you can also follow along with most tech conferences on Twitter by following the appropriate hashtag.

If you live in or near the Silicon Valley, Social Media for Nonprofits is bringing their informative conference to the area on July 26, featuring an all-star lineup sharing practical tips and tools for leveraging social media for fundraising, marketing and advocacy. Fundly CEO Dave Boyce will be participating along with keynote Beth Kanter, plus Libby Leffler of Facebook, Meg Garlinghouse of LinkedIn, Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, CEO of Goodwill, Sarah Dines of Change.org, Dawn Andreas of Eventbrite, Lee Fox of KooDooZ, and media consultant Amy Gahran.*

Online fundraising (or running a nonprofit for that matter) can be a lot easier when you partner with others in the field. Connecting with other leaders through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, conferences, and doing a little internet research can maximize the most of your precious time.

*Discounted tickets are available for small nonprofits at $95. For for-profit and larger nonprofits, use the discount code “Fundly” to save $20 off $125 and $175 tickets. Conference registration includes access to the full day conference, breakfast, and lunch. For more information or to sign up, visit Social Media For Nonprofits – Silicon Valley 

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!

Getting Kids Involved in Online Fundraising

There are many reasons why kids should be involved in online fundraising: 1) They probably know how to use the internet and social media better than most adults. 2) It develops compassion and social responsibility towards helping others. 3) It gives them pride and a feeling of achievement when they work towards a project and succeed. 4) It allows them to hone their skills and develop maturity and responsibility. 5) It is an investment of their time beyond video games, television viewing, or hours of texting. Here are some ways to get kids involved in helping a cause through online fundraising:

Choose the Right Cause

It’s so much easier to reach a goal when you are passionate about the cause. Look online for different organizations that address a spectrum of issues (charitynavigator.org is a good place to start), research websites of organizations that focus on their topic of interest, or schedule summer field trips to local ones that touch your child’s heart – such as feeding the homeless or visiting a recycling center. For long distance topics such as preserving the rainforest or providing fresh water to remote villages, have your child write a list or report to show why these causes are important. Not only will they learn more about the outside world, but it will help clear the cobwebs out of their brain during the long summer months.

Take Action

Most local organizations are always open to having volunteers, even kids. Sorting library books, ushering at community concerts or theatrical presentations, or picking up litter at local parks are easy ways for kids and teenagers to make a difference in their community.

Creating an online fundraising page is another way to raise funds and awareness for their project and help reach their philanthropic goals. On Fundly we have created easy to set up fundraising pages for any cause to reach any financial goal. We have many campaigns spearheaded by kids (with the help and consent of their parents) to raise money for schools and animal shelters or to help other children who are battling illnesses.
Online fundraising also gives kids the opportunity to get friends and family involved in something they care about. They can tell others the location and time where they are selling lemonade or having a car wash to raise money for their project, ask for donations for a book drive, or even ask others to start their own fundraising pages to reach their friends. The possibilities are open for a child’s creativity.

The Finish Line

While fundraising can be fun and foster motivation, be sure to have a clear end in sight – either a deadline or a financial goal. If a fundraiser lasts too long, they could lose interest or it may turn them off of participating in future efforts.

A finish line also allows for a celebration when a goal is met. Just as school fundraisers have a prize catalog, it’s important for kids who are fundraising independently to have a celebratory act to acknowledge their efforts. Call ahead to your local charity to meet with one of the directors to have your child personally deliver the money. This will give him or her a sense of importance. Send an e-mail from your child to the participants thanking them for their support and donations along with a report of the total dollars earned to teach your child to appreciate the help given. Consider taking pictures of the volunteer day or your child counting the donations and posting it on your Facebook wall to show how proud you are. It’s important to end on a high note to encourage future giving.

Nonprofits know that the future of their organizations is based on relationships built today. For an organization to stay alive and continue meeting the needs of clientele, it is important to touch the next generation of givers. Teaching our children today will build a stronger tomorrow!

Fundraising News Roundup: Educational Institutions See Fundraising Success

So far, 2012 has been a good year for fundraising at educational institutions around the country. Many have set new goals, while others have shattered records with the help of social networking. Whether it’s to support operations, aid students in obtaining school supplies and learning materials, or to help colleagues in need, schools and colleges have been raising money like never before. Here’s a roundup of some of the week’s developments:

Urban Montessori: Urban Montessori, the nation’s first public Montessori, Design Thinking and Arts Integration school, is looking for donations to help pay for materials not covered by state funds, and the school’s leaders have taken to Fundly.com to garner support. The school needs classroom furniture, library books and supplies for art, design and music projects. With a deadline of August 1, Urban Montessori is already more than halfway to its $50,000 goal.

University of Wisconsin: Biomedical engineering students with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Standing Paraplegic Operating Room Device Group have kicked off a Fundly campaign to raise money for a project they hope will have far-reaching benefits. In 2010, Dr. Garrett Cuppels, an orthopedic surgeon, suffered a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The Madison team is hoping to raise $10,000 to help fund a new device that will not only help Dr. Cuppels return to his work at the operating table, but will help paraplegics around the country to gain increased mobility.

University of Southern Mississippi: Fundraising records for all previous years were shattered recently when the University of Southern Mississippi announced that it had raised $20.3 million during the 2012 fiscal year, the Hattiesburg American reported. While alumni donations and gifts from foundations registered in the millions of dollars, USM’s Vice President for Advancement told the source that the real outstanding success of the fundraising campaign was the $435,000 raised through independent student and faculty efforts.

Jefferson School City Center: Located in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, the Jefferson School City Center will be the new home of several different groups dedicated to health and education. One of those groups, Common Ground Healing Arts, hosted a unique fundraising event to raise money to complete its therapeutic health facility: a sit-a-thon. The non-profit’s organizers enlisted the help of friends and colleagues in their fundraising efforts, according to C-Ville, Charlottesville’s news and arts magazine.

Oakland Public School Board: Over in California, the Oakland Public School system is gearing up for election season, but not the one most people are thinking of. Four seats have opened up on the local school board, and Great Oakland Public Schools is looking for $10,000 to help fund the candidates it supports. The Fundly campaign has so far raised more than half its goal.

Fundraising for the Arts: Recently, Agnes Gund, president emeritus of the Manhattan Museum of Modern Art, challenged her peers in the arts community to improve their online and social fundraising initiatives to keep up with fundraising in other sectors, reported Nonproftit Quarterly. Speaking to attendees at the Crain’s Arts and Culture Breakfast, she said: “We are late adapters of social media, of the interactive ways of dealing that are now common among the young,” according to the source.

Ideas for Fundraising to Put Some Heat Behind Summer Donations

Summer is undoubtedly one of the slowest times of year for fundraising; between expensive vacations and the distractions of having the kids home from school, many organizations struggle to have the same fundraising success that they find throughout most of the year. Here are some ways to conquer those summertime blues using online fundraising.

DO keep your social media schedule

Just because your donors may be slowing down a bit in the heat of summer doesn’t mean that you should. Keep posting your blogs, writing on Facebook, and sending out Tweets. Many people are taking time off of work which means that they are spending more time on their computer reading e-mails and commenting back on social networking sites.

If you don’t have a schedule in place yet for your online activity, create one. At least once a week consider posting a story or update on Facebook and a few times a week create Tweets about an interesting statistic or news story pertaining to your cause. You may also want to send out an e-newsletter quarterly.

DON’T neglect your donor relationships

As I’ve said, many people take vacation days off during the summer months to spend with their kids. This is the perfect chance to nurture a partnership with your supporters or potential donors through creating family activities. Plan a picnic, volunteer day, concert in the park, art fair, or any other event that can include the whole family. Long-term donations are built on relationships and involving children is an investment in your organization’s future.

Many teenagers these days also have Facebook accounts and e-mails and would love to hear from you. When they volunteer or attend a fun event, they really feel like they are a part of your organization’s community.

One more idea on this point: kids are bored during summer and parents are looking for ways to get them out of the house. Maybe a day camp, art lessons, or painting your offices could bridge this gap. Kids love to feel important and involved in making a difference. They also love to brag about what they’ve done. Imagine the publicity online and through texting that one teenager could contribute (plus you’ll make a ton of donor parents happy and invested in your organization.)

DO plan for the future

Depending on your type of organization, work may be a little slow right now. If you are an after school program, you probably have the summer off. Homeless shelters also have less clientele in the warm weather. This is the opportune time to plan for those busy holiday months. Research what other organizations have done by using Google searches, posting questions on LinkedIn, or conducting an online poll using Facebook. How can you get the most bang for your buck with holiday fundraising? What marketing tools can you fabricate now so that you won’t be rushed during your busy season?

You may also want to compile data pertinent to your charity through conducting A/B testing. Basically, create two different campaigns with singular varying factors to determine which gets the better response. After this initial mailer or web traffic, you assess which got the better result and go that route for future campaigns.
These slower months are a great time to do the things you wish you could the rest of the year including analysis, brainstorming, and data collection.

DON’T stop learning about online fundraising

It seems like every day there is something new to be learned on the internet. Why not play around on your social networking sites or check out some tutorials on YouTube? Look up video seminars on fundraising that you may have missed or browse through popular fundraising websites such as mashable.com, thefundraisingauthority.com, and charitystar.org. Online fundraising seems to be an ever evolving platform and there are hundreds of new ideas out there to try. Every campaign is an experiment to see what works for your specific group of donors. Who couldn’t use new ideas?