By Nicole Jolley & Eric Spacek
Fundraising for your nonprofit can become a baffling quandary that’s difficult to overcome. There are plenty of people who care about your mission, but they’re not providing the financial support necessary.
New research may explain why that is the case. Aside from basic living expenses and debt obligations, 50% of Americans prioritize dining out over giving to charity (46%), according to the new “Risk Radar Report — Charitable Giving in America.” Yet more than half of respondents in the survey are still worried about the fiscal well-being of their chosen charities.
They care about the work you do, but not enough to change their spending habits. It’s your job to convince them supporting your mission can be just as desirable as going out. The following are some ideas and risks for which you should do some planning.
Make Giving An Experience
People love a good party. And when they feel like they’re making a difference by spending their money at the party, they’re even more likely to show up.
Think about the people you’re trying to reach, and those who are most likely to support your mission: Are they mostly people who are in their 20s and 30s? If so, plan your event with this age group in mind, tailoring any music, prizes or silent auction items to their tastes. If nobody on your planning committee is in your targeted age group, find someone who can advise you. People enjoy events, but not when those events completely miss the mark about what their age group would enjoy.
Maybe your target group is people in their 60s and 70s. In that case, you will have to plan a different type of event. Again, survey people in this age group to find out what activities they most enjoy.
Nontraditional Fundraising Methods
If you’re trying to appeal to a younger generation, consider adding other fundraising methods to your palette, such as social media. People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are used to crowdfunding and online campaigns. They will be more likely to respond to such a pitch — especially when there’s something in it for them.
For example: Let’s say you’re a food pantry seeking funding for a capital campaign. You can design T-shirts, hats and pins with the logo for your campaign, then offer them as incentives for different levels of giving. People love to acquire merchandise, and when they receive items as a reward for donating, they feel there is more value in the transaction.
When promoting this campaign, you would use a variety of social media channels to get the word out not only to your supporters, but also to their connections on social media. You never know who you’re going to reach when others “share” your campaign. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you could even give your supporters an opportunity to create their own fundraising page and offer incentives for the number of people who donate on their page.
Consider The Donor Experience
Your donors want to be more than just a source of money. If they are choosing to support your organization, they obviously believe in what you are doing. Take the extra step to include them in your mission.
You can do this in a variety of ways:
- Specify what they are paying for when they donate. For example: A $75 donation will feed a family of four for a week. People are more likely to spend more money when they have something tangible for it to go towards, rather than just contributing to a nebulous fund.
- Offer opportunities to honor their loved ones. When your supporters can attach special significance to a donation (such as buying a brick on a walkway to commemorate an anniversary, or purchasing a tree to remember a parent), they are more likely to feel like they are an important part of your organization.
- Consider creating a digital or physical donor wall. If your facility has the space for such a wall, it can be a nice touch. When donors enter your building, they can see physical proof that your organization values their contribution.
- Keep your donors updated on what you’re doing. This could be as simple as sending out a periodic newsletter, or as complex as keeping up with them individually through phone calls and personalized emails. Donors are also great prospects for volunteering, as they have already shown an interest in the good you do.
Managing Risks That Arise
When you plan events for your potential donors, don’t forget to keep in mind the risks that might come up. The following are some of the risks associated with events, and how you can mitigate them with a little extra planning:
- Security: Advance planning is key to ensuring effective security for an event. Take the time with your security team to talk through possible scenarios and threats and empower your staff and volunteers to keep their eyes open to any issues. Make sure security staff can easily communicate with each other and with others at the event. You may want to consider conducting a drill before the event to make sure everyone knows what they are doing.
- Food Safety: Food handlers must be certified in some parts of the United States. Make sure you check on regulations before serving food at events. Remember that some attendees will have allergies to certain foods. Have the list of ingredients for each item available. Take care to cook food to the right temperature and hold it to that temperature as long as possible to kill foodborne bacteria and illness such as salmonella, E. coli, norovirus and listeria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides guidelines for keeping every type of food safe.
- Severe Weather: Severe weather can put a wrench in your plans no matter if your event is indoors or outdoors. Have a plan in place for monitoring the weather throughout your event. Make sure all your key staff members and volunteers are aware of the plan, including where they should direct attendees to shelter should the need arise.
- Fire: Assess your facility to determine which areas are more likely to catch fire. Develop a fire preparedness plan that includes fire extinguishers in all areas of the building, especially the kitchen. Utilize surge protection and restrict long-term use of extension cords throughout the facility to limit the likelihood of overloading a breaker. Follow breaker panel best practices by clearly labeling all breakers and never taping them in an open or closed position.
- Injury And Illness: You can work to prevent some illnesses and injuries, but not all. For example, you can significantly reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls at your event by taking basic precautions, such as:
- Clean up spills immediately;
- Instruct your staff members and volunteers to report hazards as soon as they identify them;
- Establish a regular schedule to maintain outdoor sidewalks and walkways, especially during the winter;
- Maintain handrails, guardrails and footboards on all bleachers;
- Use slip-resistant floor mats with beveled edges in areas where spills might occur, such as in dishwashing areas; and,
- Maintain adequate lighting in stairwells, entrances and other areas where people might fall.
Of course, not all accidents can be avoided, but you can establish a written process to make sure that an injured guest, volunteer or employee receives the treatment they need right away.
There are so many causes and opportunities competing for Americans’ attention, it can be hard to stand out among the noise. If you find yourself struggling to come up with ways to attract donors, take a step back. Remind yourself and your staff members what makes your organization special, and brainstorm ideas for how you can help others see it, too.
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Nicole Jolley, assistant vice president — nonprofit and human services and Eric Spacek, assistant vice president — risk control are with Church Mutual Insurance Co.
