Social media can be an effective fundraising tool. But to get the most out of it, you need to understand who your audience is so you can decide which social media platforms to invest your time in. CAF has some great advice available so have a look and decide if it’s for you.
We are often asked about the best way to accept donations and which platforms to use. The good news for charities is that there are now lots of ways to collect digital donations:
More information:
https://www.bhibcharities.co.uk/advice/the-best-online-fundraising-platforms/
Nonprofit newsletters get some of the best average open rates in email marketing (26%). Newsletters provide important opportunities to showcase the work you do, make appeals for donations and other support and raise awareness of the problems your charity tackles. Use your newsletter to connect with donors and volunteers, encouraging them to take action.
Email drives more charitable donations than any other online channel. 42% of donors prefer to hear from causes they support by email, 20% of donors said that emails made them more likely to donate again and 69% of subscribers said they were more likely to donate after receiving an appeal for a specific need.
Everyone gets more emails than they can ever read. A typical email receives no more than 15 seconds of attention - so make yours stand out. Use images, a good subject line and engaging opening paragraph. If a reader is not interested at the opening of your newsletter, they won’t read what comes later.
What else should you do?
Finally, remember you cannot email anyone without their permission, but you can build your email list by:
More reading:
http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com/blog/5-non-profit-newsletters-to-learn-from/
https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/campaigns/communications/e-newsletters
The best charity websites are kind to users – not overloading them with choices or too much text, and instead making calls to action obvious and ensuring that users can easily find further information as needed. Here are our top tips to improve your site:
More reading:
What Makes a Good Charity Website?
https://www.theukdomain.uk/what-makes-a-great-charity-website/
Gaming and livestreaming were already big before the pandemic struck but participation has really taken off. This is good news for charities because it gives us a new avenue for fundraising that appeals the generous Generation Z.
The idea may seem strange but gaming fundraisers are popular and effective https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/02/03/6-successful-gaming-for-good-livestreaming-campaigns/
How does it work?
Gamers share game playing with their friends and other gamers, who tune in to watch the game in action. This is called streaming and there are there are several platforms dedicated to gaming, the most popular is called Twitch, which was built specifically for streaming games. The gamer adds a donate buttons to their stream – like a donate button on a charity website which links to the gamer's fundraising page on a donation platform like JustGiving.
By hosting a donate button on screen, gamers engage their audience into making donations in return for gaming activity. A gamer could host a 24-hour gaming marathon or they could host a tournament with other gamers.
If you want your charity to run or help run a gaming fundraiser, try reaching out to local gaming communities or looking for gaming events that have occurred in your area. Maybe someone on your charity team (volunteer/supporter/member of staff) has a passion for video games, and they can help organise hosting or participating in a gaming fundraiser. Look for gamers who might be interested in your cause https://charitydigital.org.uk/topics/topics/gaming-for-good-how-to-find-gamers-9003
More Reading:
Top tips for successful livestreaming and gaming for good
How to Get Started with Gaming Fundraising
March is Free Wills Month. More than half of UK adults don't have a will and this month it's possible to get a solicitor-written will in return for a small charity donation.
The publicity behind this campaign and Remember a Charity Week later in the year, is a great way for you to introduce/promote a legacy option in your fundraising messages. Here are the fundamentals to get you started:
Remember that as fundraisers you should be aware of the law - the Fundraising Regulator has the specifics regarding legacies https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/code/specific-fundraising-methods/legacies