Fundraising in itself says nothing fancy ordinary people doing extraordinarily contrasting things. If there are no people who start connecting to help one another in situations of distress, then there is no gravity. Community fundraising is held together by that very spirit.
What is community fundraising?
Community fundraising is about bringing people together around a common goal to get monetary or other resources on behalf of a neighborhood, town, or school. It could be anything from providing support for medical treatment for a needy family, fixing a school building or playground, social-welfare projects, or any larger disaster. What more: You do not need to be a professional—just feel strongly about your cause and want to work with others.
6 Steps to Fundraising Success
Understanding the key steps to successful fundraising starts with clearly defining your purpose in a concise and impactful way.
Make your goal clear, concise, and effective
The first step is to keep your goal clear.
- Tell people what you want your goal to be; the more specific, the better.
- “Help the poor” is very common, “Provide winter jackets for the homeless in your city” is clear, personal, and very concrete.
- Clear goals help people understand where their money will be used, and they can see a difference on the ground. This helps legitimize your campaign and gives it direction.
Community involvement—the sooner, the stronger
Strength is collective, never individual!
- Keep the community involved right from the start of fundraising.
- Build a strong team-identifying individuals in and around your local community who have a heart and passion to help others. These people do not have to be experts, just willing to engage.
- Make sure to include people with different skills in the process: someone organizing, marketing people, accounting-Simply put, everyone is vital.
- Involve the community in project planning; do not treat them just as donors. Ask for their ideas and input, even some feedback.
Goals and budget-Ground them
It is imperative to set realistic goals so that hope does not dwindle along with enthusiasm.
- Keep one goal low for a small area and raise it for a bigger area.
- Keep a record of your expenditure for things like posters, flyers, and event costs, and spend as much as you can directly on your cause.
- Reward your volunteers with small but achievable milestones to keep them motivated and raring to go. The lesser money you collect, the more gratifying it becomes to reach that goal!
The right fun activities-Identify Community Interests
Not every culture sets forth the same formula.
From your community’s perspective, which event would it consider fairly interesting?
- They could probably like small gatherings such as pancake breakfasts, bake-offs, or tea parties,
- while larger cities might find the fun in marathons, charity auctions, or fairs.
- Make everything seem like a community institution; food, games, and socializing-much more than an excuse for a few to rub elbows.
Promotion
All the hard work would be for nothing if no one knew about it.
- Allow communities to see the flyers hanging up in shops, libraries, and community centers with maps detailing the event goal, date, and time.
- Facebook groups, Instagram stories, and Twitter trends, oh my! Do all and even give out local hashtags, active sites, and updates.
- Turn to social media with particular invites, phone calls, and text messages. This raises the engagement and participation of those invited.
- Identify potential coverage in local newsletters, radio stations, and school papers.
Appreciation and learning-a never ending loop
At the end of any campaign comes reflection:
- An extended word of thanks must be said to everyone-the donors, the volunteers, the collaborators. Whether it is a shout-out on social media, an email, or a thank you letter… leave no one unappreciated!
Ask the following questions after the activity:
- What went well?
- What needed work?
- What can we do better in the future?
- Were there any budget cuts?
- Consult with key people on what made the event successful, have discussions as a team, and involve them in future plans.
Fast, Friendly, and Unencumbered by Costs – Community Fundraising With BetterWorld
Fast-growing online fundraising platforms are making every aspect of fundraising easier—set up your campaign online in just five minutes and fund-raise however you please, hassle free! Digital donation pages, online auctions, quick raffles, customizable share links-all made so easy that no need for tech-savviness or complex registrations.
Reasons to Motivate Participants
- Community Fundraising is not governed by size; every contribution, big or small, adds backbone to the campaign.
- It’s not a matter of big resources or big skills; it boils down to having goodwill and a little bit of organization.
- To take charge, collaborate, and pitch in—big change can come out of small actions.
Conclusion
Across your neighborhood, schools, societies, and families, there are lost souls in need. When coupled with a helping mindset, clear plans, goals, and teamwork are sure to spell success for any community fundraising event. Every event strengthens your community, so next time you know a community in real need, you might want to try these steps and be part of the change.