We have spoken to many charity CEOs and trustees recently and are frequently hearing how difficult the fundraising environment is at the moment. At a time with high cost of living, the Autumn Budget and with the winter months creeping closer, many may feel less inclined to give their extra cash to charity. After all, Christmas beckons closer.
But that can have detrimental impacts for charities, many of whom require extra financial support during winter. This can take a toll on volunteers and reduce the impact of charity work. So now, more than ever, visibility matters, and the end of November is a great time for charities to think about how they can get more people fundraising and more donations coming in.
If you’re looking for ideas for fundraising activities, ask us for a copy of our A-Z of Fundraising Ideas- there’s something in there for everyone and it acts as a great starter pack when setting up fundraisers.
1. Create a signature campaign
Creating a campaign that sets you apart from the rest will give people the motivation to get involved. Nobody has done this better than Movember. They created a whimsical campaign that generated over £100 million for men’s mental health in 2023. This captured the hearts of students and companies across the country, encouraging them to grow a moustache over the month of November. Since 2003, over 5 million people have grown a tash for Movember, showcasing the impact of a strong campaign that can be repeated year on year.
It’s time to start brainstorming ideas for your charity.
The key is to make it relevant, fun and simple. If you get the campaign right, with a little patience it will help to bring awareness and funds to your charity.
2. Embrace Digital Marketing
It sounds like a no-brainer, but so many charities spend all their marketing budget on expensive Christmas advert slots. We’re not saying they’re unimportant, in fact at times like Christmas they can be crucial, but there are other, cheaper ways to utilise digital marketing.
- Social media – utilise social media to advertise your charity. Research hashtags and find a few which align with your mission. This will help bring information about you to people’s social media feeds. And it doesn’t cost you a penny!
- Donation Buttons – Put them everywhere. Make it as easy as possible for people to donate. It’s also a great idea to make it clear that any size of donation is appreciated. Think about how you are asking for money from people. How can you express your gratitude digitally?
- Crowdfunding – Make it easy for people to donate to fundraisers. Help those wanting to raise money for your charity by guiding them to fundraising websites that will suit them and will be the most cost effective. If the donation process is simple, it will boost engagement and make people more inclined to get involved.
3. Host your own adventure event
Hosting an event can create a huge boost in donations. Our suggestion would be to host an event which is fun, creative and a little different, for example a Tough Mudder. There are only a few tough mudder style events each year, and most are located in the big cities. They do take a bit of organisation, but as a charity, you know how to set up a good fundraiser, this is only a little step further and it will definitely be worth it. They are also great fun and are the kind of event people aspire to get involved in. Make sure to utilise digital marketing here.
For some inspiration, check out Macmillan’s Tough Mudder and Cancer Research’s Pretty Muddy.
If you need help planning events, at The Indispensary, we are experts at just that. If you’re thinking that the admin might take too much time, but you really want to host the event, get in touch.
4. Motivate supporters with bold challenges
How can you encourage fundraisers to think outside the box? What could they do to raise money that nobody’s heard of before? These challenges work best when they subvert societal norms and expectations.
A great example of this is Macmillan’s Brave the Shave campaign. It displays a huge amount of generosity and solidarity to those suffering from cancer and its rigorous treatment process. How could you connect a challenge to your cause?
5. Invest in corporate partnerships
Creating corporate partnerships will increase visibility and provide long-term funding options for your charity. Pick a charity that aligns with your values and niche. If you’re a charity that provides shoes for homeless people, look for a trainer/shoe company to partner with. If you support young children suffering from hearing loss, partner with a company who sell hearing aids.
There are plenty of benefits in these partnerships for the companies too, including tax incentives, reputation and engagement.
IKEA’s partnership with UNICEF and many ongoing charity partnerships is a great example of the long-term impacts of corporate partnerships
6. Utilise meaningful giving
Most people want to help, and they want their support to feel meaningful, to understand the impact their support has. We’ve put a few options below:
- Legacy gifts – make it obvious how individuals can leave donations to your charity in their will.
- Simple recurring donations scheme – make it easy for donors to pay monthly.
- Expand and promote volunteer and trustee roles- share opportunities on social media and on voluntary scheme forums. Share your desire to get more people involved.
To find out other meaningful ways people can give to charities, check out our blog here.
7. Expand streams of revenue
There are always more ways to get extra money, again, the key is to think outside the box and hold a brainstorming session where nothing is a bad idea.
- Merchandise – What would donors love that could bring in extra money? This could be clothing lines, mugs, accessories. The options are endless, but it’s a good idea to think about how the merchandise connects to your charity. Check out how Oddballs have made lines of underwear clothing to raise funds for testicular cancer.
- Subscriptions – Create meaningful connections with fundraisers and donors. By creating paid memberships, donors can feel more connected to the project and will also be more inclined to support your charity. This can be achieved through a tiered scheme, or a simple monthly newsletter to keep donors up to date.
- Grants- Create powerful grant applications for government, foundation or private sector grants. Think about the way you tell the story, and how you can make use of personal experiences of not getting the support your charity provides, in your application. Think about the kind of digital software you could use in your application? Would real voices, or actors help portray the importance of your charity?
Hopefully this article has given you some ideas about how to increase funding. We wish all charities the best in this difficult time and would love to help any who feel they need extra support.
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