6 Ways Non-Profits And NGOs Can Use Crowdfunding To Meet Their Goals
The idea of crowdfunding may be confusing and even overwhelming, especially if you are tasked with your organization's first crowdfunding campaign. It isn't as hard as it may seem at first glance. Use the best practices for crowdfunding like those below to get your team off to a great start.
1. Tell a Personal Story: Crowdfunding -- or any fundraising effort -- works best when you tell a very personal story. It doesn't have to be your story, but it has to be personal to your non-profit. People may not be moved to action when asked to help raise funds for an animal shelter. When told the heartbreaking story of one dog rescued from an abusive situation who overcame the odds, however, people are not only moved to tears, they are also often moved to act.
2. Show Pictures: They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this could not be more true with crowdfunding. Using the example above, if you include before and after pictures of the rescued dog, your crowdfunding campaign will gain even more traction. Your donors may even share your campaign with family and friends because the images you added moved them.
3. Set a Specific Goal: While all non-profits and NGOs have capital campaigns for long-term projects, crowdfunding is not the best resource to raise funds for that type of program. Best practices for crowdfunding include concentrating on a very specific and attainable goal. People want to feel that their donation helped you reach that goal. They want to know that they made a difference. Twenty dollars goes a long way when you are trying to raise 5K for veterinary bills for the example dog (above), but it is a tiny drop in the bucket when you are raising money for a million-dollar building project five years in the future.
4. Employ Social Media: A crowdfunding campaign is not the best use of your postal budget or telephone team. It is a digital platform, and you need to get digital, too. Using social media to spread your message is key to a successful crowdfunding campaign. A glossy invitation may work for a donor ball, but it does not work with this method of fundraising. Reach out on a variety of social media channels with well-written text, moving graphics, and even videos. Keep track of where your traffic comes from so you know how to market future campaigns. This is 21st-century fundraising at its best.
5. Use Rewards: Many crowdfunding campaigns use the reward system to their advantage. In this day and age, donors like to feel good about their contribution, but they also like to get a little reward in the process. From t-shirts to special experiences, your reward can be anything that you can give away easily and affordably. Analyze what your average donation has been in the past and set your rewards just slightly higher to try and move your average donation up in value. Test the use of different gifts and different reward points over several campaigns until you find the right formula that maximizing donations for your nonprofit.
6. Reach Out: Crowdfunding is not a "build it and they will come" situation. You have to reach out to everyone and anyone that your non-profit or NGO has on its roster. Email everyone and ask for help. Ask them to donate, but also ask them to share your crowdfunding campaign with everyone they know. This way, your reach can be multiplied greatly, increasing your chances of meeting -- or exceeding -- your financial goal.
Keeping things personal, specific, and digital is the best route to take for any crowdfunding campaign. Success is just a few clicks away.