November 11, 2016
When nonprofits face budget crises like the past state budget impasses in Pennsylvania and Illinois, crowd funding campaigns become the go-to problem solver which helps organizations raise dollars. Crowd funding is defined as the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding originally was designed for entrepreneurs, but the nonprofit community quickly adapted the concept. Several charitable organizations have seen success through crowdfunding campaigns. With platforms such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Razoo and CauseVox, the art of fundraising is becoming more social, amplifying local nonprofits and their message louder than ever. Here are a few crowdfunding tips to help your organization’s next big fundraiser.
Clearly laying out the precise purpose for raising money eliminates any questions or hesitation donors may have. Be transparent and let it be known where the money donated will be working. It is also helpful to include specific organizational information about past successful fundraisers.
Some of the best crowd funding campaigns have a killer story behind them. A heartfelt and captivating story will resonate with donors and activate the spirit of giving. Robert Wu at CauseVox.com says there are 4 classic storylines that perform well with nonprofit crowd funding: 1) Overcoming the monster, 2) Rags to riches, 3) Quest, and 4) Tragedy.
Many times, nonprofits think they can just put up a campaign and the dollars will automatically just start rolling. That couldn’t be further from the truth! For a successful crowdfunding campaign, it takes some strategic planning. Start getting the message out to your donors through email, in person, or through social media about a specific new campaign to raise funds. Build a strong base prior to any campaign by leveraging current donors to ensure a successful campaign.
These are just a few tips to assist in creating a successful crowdfunding campaign. When used correctly, crowdfunding can be a great resource to mobilize donors in a short amount of time for a worthy cause. Giving Tuesday is right around the corner! Take the time to build a solid crowdfunding campaign for your nonprofit and let us know if any of these tips were helpful.
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First Nonprofit has saved us so much money over the state’s program. We had one little glitch with the state recently and we contacted FNP immediately. FNP staff called us back immediately and moved to remedy the problem.
First Nonprofit has been a great partner. They have helped us saved hundreds of thousands of dollars! They have awesome resources for our nonprofit organization. Thanks for the partnership.
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FNP has helped our agency to save thousands of dollars every year on our unemployment coverage. The service is phenomenal, and we are thankful to their team as our partner. My experience working with Marshall on the advocacy around UE for nonprofits was also a highlight as someone who teaches advocacy and lobbying for nonprofits. Really, your whole team is top shelf, so thank YOU!
Chicago Children’s Theatre has greatly benefited from our partnership with First Nonprofit, and I have always enjoyed working with the staff on our filings and any complicated questions. I would not hesitate to recommend First Nonprofit to fellow nonprofits. We’re very happy customers.
FNP is a great resource for Daniel Kids. To have a TPA that we can count on to take point on not only managing our unemployment claims, but to support and guide any protest hearing, is invaluable. All the professional support staff we have worked with have been excellent, very knowledgeable and responsive. We are grateful for the help and support, thank you.
When I first began in my position at my organization, I hadn’t had experience working with a company like FNP. The staff was so patient and helpful in helping to explain the benefits of First Nonprofit. Anytime I reach out with a question I receive a quick, clear, and thorough response. I’m so thankful that we decided to partner with FNP. Their excellence in customer service, coupled with their variety of packages frees us up to truly serve our staff and community with a peace of mind knowing that our organization is protected against unanticipated unemployment insurance expenses.
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