We realize that grassroots organizations need creative and easy fundraising ideas for small groups. The reality is they need to keep fundraising simple. That’s why we want to speak about why you should start a fundraiser for small amounts or asks. You may have already heard of these types of fundraisers. They’re called micro-fundraisers or crowdfunding campaigns.
By investing in a micro-fundraising campaign, small nonprofits can quickly raise funds for their organization. Further, small groups can raise even more money than a typical fundraising campaign using a micro-fundraising drive. And it’s easier to start a fundraiser for micro amounts because of how simple it is to use platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe.
The Primary Fundraising Measurement for Crowdfunding
Unique fundraising events, such as crowdfunding, are attractive to donors because they’re not the same old fundraiser. The main idea behind a micro-fundraising campaign is that people donate small amounts to your nonprofit. Moreover, small nonprofits like yours can raise funds quickly if they focus on crowdfunding. The main idea is to generate funds where donors can contribute as little as they want. It’s a win-win situation because you raise money, and it’s not so financially hard for donors to give.
But, what’s the primary metric of a crowdfunding fundraiser. As noted by Nonprofit Megaphone, “For the best chance of success, a crowdfunding campaign should obtain 30% of its total goal within the first 48 hours of launching.” However, as noted in the article, some in the industry encourage nonprofits to aim to achieve 50% of the revenue raised within 48 hours. Why? Because the main thrust of micro-fundraising events is small and urgent appeals. So, you may only want to raise $1,000 total or get 100 people to give $10. They have to provide it at the moment they see the small request.
What’s Absolutely Essential for Success
Micro-fundraising campaigns are a simple way for small nonprofits to raise funds. Also, they have gotten more popular with time. As you know, the focus of this fundraiser is to allow you to raise small amounts from donors who care about your cause. Therefore, nonprofits should use micro-fundraisers, or crowdfunding, as fundraisers for special projects or events. In other words, these should be unique fundraisers for something beyond your operating revenue.
Preparation is critical to start a fundraiser for small amounts. For starters, you need the right tools. Therefore, you need to explore the best crowdfunding platforms. These platforms offer you and your donors a variety of tools to create personalized donation pages. Meaning, you could ask your champions to each raise $500 for a higher overall goal. Next, you want to get very specific about the reason for your fundraiser. Make the reason for the fundraiser something compelling. For instance, perhaps you wish to raise ad-hoc funds to help more people at a particular time of year (e.g., holidays).
Once you have the plan for your crowdfunding campaign, you want to have a marketing strategy. Remember, you want to raise 30% to 50% of the funds in 48 hours. That means you have to get your community ready. So, you want to have your champion donors on board before you start a fundraiser. Moreover, you want to tease your fundraiser in your community (e.g., Stay Tuned; A Special Event is On Its Way). The most popular way to promote a micro-fundraiser is to use social media channels.
Raising Funds in the Digital World
As you know, many opportunities exist in the digital world for nonprofits to raise money. Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, offer a way for nonprofits to share their micro-fundraisers. But, perhaps you’ve also built a strong community of supporters in more premium online communities. All in all, it’s important to remember that the opportunities for you to start a fundraiser for small amounts are only expanding. For example, you could do a $10 per person cryptocurrency micro-fundraiser and use a platform such as The Giving Block.
If you decide to do a micro-fundraiser, remember that fundraisers don’t have to be all or nothing. Perhaps your first few crowd fundraising efforts don’t raise what you wanted. That doesn’t mean that you failed. All it means is that you’re learning, and you should immerse yourself in resources available online. Further, the more people see you do these short fundraisers for small amounts, the more you could have fun. For example, you could regularly have one of these short events on your fundraising calendar. However, you’ll have to prepare, have a solid marketing effort, and have fun and unique reasons for people to want to support your fundraisers. All in all, micro-fundraisers are a great way to raise funds for small groups.
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