Covid-19 has caused us all to stay indoors and move a lot of our fundraisers online. Being that we can't interact with each other face to face we have to find new ways to engage donors online. Luckily, we are in a very digital age and there are tons of fundraisers you can do using just your laptop and a creative idea!
1. Host a Virtual Gala
A lot of the organization's Gala’s were either canceled or postponed this year because of the virus, but another option is to hold it online! It seems hard at first but by using a livestream your audience can watch the Gala from their home. Have your performers entertain via webcam or stream an at home ceremony and encourage your attendees to dress up.
Create a hashtag so you can interact with your audience in real time, they can send photos of them attending your event that you can share on your social media. This Gala will save you tons on an expensive venue hall and everyone can participate from their living room!
You can sell tickets or collect donations through a link in the livestream using sites like Facebook, Youtube or Instagram live. You can also incorporate other fundraising activities into your gala like an online auction.
2. Hold Social Media Takeover with a Local Business
Talk with one of your corporate sponsors or local community partners asking if they can partner with you for a social media take over! It’s a great way to introduce yourself to a new audience and get creative with your social media.
A takeover lasts one day but you can promote it throughout the week to begin engaging your audience. Your posts should link back to your website or social media pages and tell your story. Although this method isn’t motivated by reaching a fundraising goal, you can use it to increase brand visibility and promote any campaigns you have running at the moment.
3. Take Advantage of Amazon Smile
Everyone knows Amazon, but did you also know that you can raise money when making your everyday purchases? A lot of us have been ordering online to limit trips to stores, so this is a great opportunity to try for your organization. All you have to do is register your 501c3 organization with Amazon Smile to get started.
After that donors can select your organization and support you while ordering their items. Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price from eligible purchases which is small to start but can definitely add up! The best part is there is no price change or difference in delivery time, the process is exactly the same.
4. Create a Recipe Book
Go beyond a monetary donation by asking your volunteers and supporters by also asking them to donate a recipe! I know I’m not the only person using my spare time to cook during quarantine so a recipe book is a great way to get people excited about contributing to your organization. You can ask donors to submit a recipe with their donation and in return they will receive a cookbook with all of the donated recipes.
Before getting started, decide what type of cookbook you want to create (desserts, entrees, appetizers) and what you need from your donors like the name of the recipe, servings, ingredients, and pictures of the final product. Then it’s just a matter of compiling the information into a PDF or other digital file that can be shared online.
5. Show Your Strengths In A Live Stream
This one is pretty simple, all you need is a phone or laptop and something fun to stream! Think of what your organization does best and how you can showcase it online. You can do a live art class, information seminar on mental or physical health, showcase some furry friends or hold a live story time. Think about what your audience would enjoy and how you can adapt that into a livestream format.
When doing a love stream, make a direct appeal to your audience similar to a telephone. Let them know how they can support your cause either by giving a monetary or in-kind donation.
6. Hold a Virtual Run
Using a peer-to-peer fundraising tool runners (or walkers) can join as individuals or teams to meet an activity goal. Since everyone's situation is different they can choose if they want to go outside or use a treadmill to participate in the activity. Supporters pledge a number of steps or a distance they want to reach in a select number of days. If running isn’t quite your jam, you can do this with any activity like yoga, biking, push-ups or other physical activity. Just as long as it can be tracked, you are ready to get fundraising!
