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Fundraising is just what it appears to be - the raising of funds or money. Weekly meetings always include some mention of a fundraising effort underway, so that money is always coming in. Donors like the fact that these raffles and prizes often have good odds and great prizes. Targets the donor.
successful non profit fundraising
Whichever methods you choose, it is often very important for a small or starting non-profit to be seen as part of the community in order to secure donations. Donors will remember your non-profit with a smile. The idea is not to manipulate your donors, but rather to make sure that their emotions as well as their intellect understand the importance of your groups cause.
Secrets of Successful Fundraising: How to Raise More Money with Less Hassle
Anyone can raise some money, but if you are serious about really supporting your non-profit through your fundraising efforts, you will have to go further than the occasional sale or selling campaign. The costs of running a non-profit are quite high today, and you need to make sure that you get every dollar you can to keep your group afloat.
There are a few secrets to successful fundraising that are simply not covered in most books and resources about fundraising. However, these are the secrets that can mean the difference between a good fundraising campaign and a great one. These are the secrets that many fundraising consultants use, and here you can consider them without expensive consultation fees:
Psychology
There is an entire psychology of selling and of getting people to buy or spend money. Fundraising is very much about the emotional and psychological response that donors have. Often, the difference between a donation and a no response is nothing more than a few small psychological events that make a potential donor look with less favor on a non-profit. If you want to tap into the business of psychology, consider the following:
The psychology of money: Most people are very emotional when it comes to cash. We see money not as a tool for something, but as a measurement of wealth. To part someone from their cash, you have to affect them emotionally, not intellectually. That means rather than focusing on all the practical reasons for giving money, paint someone a picture of the suffering lack of money is causing and then emotionally show how their donation can change that.
The me syndrome: Donors (like any person) want to feel special. If you can make them feel that they are being approached especially or that they can make a huge impact, they are more likely to support your cause.
Compelling reasons: Most of us look for something that pulls at us, that tugs at us in a personal or emotional way. If you can offer donors something special or compelling as an experience, they are more likely to support your cause. Consider the non-profit groups that raise money for world relief - they often stress the sheer number of people who suffer from hunger daily. The very fact that these numbers are so huge (much larger than most of us can comfortably imagine) causes many people to be compelled to give money for the cause. Compelling reasons to give create a sense of urgency, that money must be given now.
Congruency: Humans are creatures of habit. Experts say that many of our reactions are based on the programming our brains received when we were still undeveloped. For this reason, we tend to view people with suspicion or we tend to look for certain clues that subconsciously tell us how to react to a person. This is important to understand in fundraising, because this is the very process that potential donors are undergoing when they consider your non-profit.
If something seems out of place or wrong donors will walk away without offering support for your group. It will simply seem safer to do so. Congruency simply means that all the pieces fit into a congruent whole and look correct together. Congruency is also an important factor in getting any sort of support (including fundraising support).
Consider the politician who is denying participation in a scandal but seems nervous and unable to make eye contact. Are you likely to believe him or her? No, because the congruency is off. You can build congruency (and support) for your non-profit by putting forward the same and friendly presentation to the public. Do all you can to assure your donors that your group is safe to donate to.
How Hard it is to Say No: Potential donors who do not want to part with their time and money will generally look for reasons to say no. If you can anticipate these reasons and counter them before the donor has time to think of them, you are more likely to get a donation. If you can eliminate all a donors reasons for saying no, then you will have a donation. Some reasons that donors say no include:
The belief that their money wont really make a difference
The belief that a cause is too far away or not important enough
The belief that charity is a waste of time
The belief that non-profit groups do not use money responsibly
The belief that the money will never get to those who really need it
The belief that there is no urgency in giving money now - a contribution can be made later
The belief that money can be raised elsewhere or from someone else
You and your group need to create compelling reasons why these false beliefs are not true when it comes to your fundraising campaign and your non-profit group. Then, include these reasons and ideas in your opening requests for support.