The Most Effective Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofits

For many nonprofits, fundraising is the primary way organizations continue operating and furthering their cause. It can take some time to develop both a fundraising strategy that’s right for your organization and ways to implement that fundraising strategy. We’ve put a list together of some fundraising strategies for nonprofits and how you can develop your organizational strategy moving forward.

The Top 6 Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofits

1. Update website: While it may not seem like a big priority sometimes, this is the first thing your organization should do as a fundraising strategy! Your website is where people will go to learn more about your nonprofit and how they can donate and support your efforts, so try to give them the best online experience. By keeping your site up to date and user friendly, they will have a much better user experience and feel like they’re a part of something new and exciting. A great way to get started and make sure that your website can be found is through SEO for nonprofits.
2. Develop recurring giving: This is a great way to keep people engaged and allow them to give a recurring donation every month. Having this as a giving option allows your nonprofit to receive consistent donations from your supporters that you will reap the benefits of year-round. By allowing your supporters to donate an amount they are comfortable with and remembering to thank them throughout the year, you’re likely to keep their support for years to come. For help on starting a nonprofit monthly giving program, click here. 
3. Crowdfunding: This is a strategy that can also be done year-round if your nonprofit is in need of funds quickly and efficiently. By launching a crowdfunding campaign, you can gather both small and large donations from your supporters and share your campaign to social media. Host a crowdfunding campaign on a website and include your story and why you need their help. For inspiration on how to get started and how to reach your goals with your crowdfunding campaign, check out this post on Fundly’s top 20 successful crowdfunding campaigns.
4. Host community events: This is a strategy that many nonprofits use because of how successful and community building it can be. While online giving platforms are important, so are in person community events. Community events can include silent auctions, galas, 5Ks and restaurant fundraisers. By hosting community events as a fundraiser strategy, you can build relationships and connections with other community members, which can lead to more support and recurring donations long term.
5. Utilize social media: Social media is how many people communicate and keep up with others, so this can be an extremely effective fundraising strategy! Be active on social media with engaging content to build your following and communicate with your followers. Let them know what you’re working on and why their support matters to your organization. Use social media to advertise your upcoming community event fundraiser and drive participation. Additionally, having  someone within your organization dedicated to building out your social media is an important part of staying relevant and driving awareness to your cause.
6. Employ email marketing: Similar to social media, email marketing is crucial in communicating with your supporters. Give many opportunities on your website and at community events for individuals to subscribe to your email list and be the first to hear about upcoming events and news. When emailing your database, make sure you stay consistent and use compelling content. For more tips on how to use email marketing as a fundraising strategy, check out these nonprofit newsletter tips & best practices.

We hope this list helped you develop an effective fundraising strategy for your organization. For more fundraising strategies for your nonprofit, check out this article.

For more nonprofit fundraising ideas, click here.