Fundraising is the process of collecting voluntary contributions for a non-profit organisation to carry out its projects. Resources such as food and water, medicines, clothing or money can be collected.
Fundraising events often bring together like-minded individuals to support a cause and have some fun. No matter the type of event, it’s essential that participants have an enjoyable and memorable experience.
A-thons
A-thons are an ideal fundraiser for schools and nonprofits looking to involve their entire community in raising money. Not only are they enjoyable and engaging for students, but they offer high returns on investment that can generate significant funding for your school or nonprofit organization.
There are various a-thon events, such as walk-a-thons, swim-a-thons, dance-a-thons and sing-a-thons. All are easy to organize and can take place either indoors or outdoors – such as in a school gymnasium, field or auditorium for fundraising purposes.
Themed a-thons are an efficient way to raise funds and spread awareness for your cause. For instance, if you’re raising money for a school field trip or class project, having a theme can keep participants engaged and increase donations. Crafting flyers and promotional materials that match the theme will attract the right kind of participants so you can meet your objectives faster.
No matter the type of a-thon event you host, setting objectives is key for measuring success. Your targets could range from raising a specific amount of money to sending an exact number of kids on an adventure. Furthermore, setting pledge amounts per participant can encourage even more people to contribute.
One popular a-thon fundraiser is the walk-a-thon, which is an effective way to raise funds for your school or nonprofit organization. Participants will walk or run along a predetermined course for a specified amount of time.
Walk-a-thons are the ideal fundraisers for school groups, particularly when they’re raising money to finance trips or classroom projects. Not only do these events build school spirit, promote health & wellness initiatives, but they also teach kids how to support philanthropic efforts.
Read-a-thons are a timeless school fundraiser idea that works well for both young audiences and schools. These activities encourage students to log their reading time over an established period – usually at least 30 minutes daily – in exchange for funds raised and to promote literacy at the same time. They’re easy to organize and provide students with an effective means of raising funds while supporting literacy initiatives.
A-thon fundraising software makes the process of collecting pledges simpler by creating a peer-to-peer page for each student and automatically sending them the pages they need to collect money. Your participants can then share their pages with friends and family who can also sign up to collect pledges on their own. With A-thon’s automated system, there’s no need to worry about paper forms or tracking down payments – everything is taken care of remotely!
Competitions
Team building competitions are an excellent way to strengthen relationships with peers while raising some cash for charity. Scavenger hunt style contests offer a fun, informative way to showcase your collective skills while crossing something off of your fundraising bucket list. If you’re partial to visiting local pubs and breweries, why not spice things up by hosting an exciting bar crawl? Additionally, have your marketing department create a media relations campaign in order to keep the good times rolling throughout the evening.
Oddball events
Oddball events are creative fundraising initiatives that highlight your organization’s mission. They’re particularly effective at increasing awareness of your cause due to their memorable nature and enjoyable atmosphere.
For instance, Movember is a non-profit organization that encourages men to let their facial hair grow for one month in order to raise money and awareness about male health issues. This event has become so popular that it has become an institution in itself.
Other fundraising ideas, such as the 50/50 raffle, can also be beneficial. Not only are these costs-effective and simple to organize, but they’re ideal for small nonprofits on a tight budget.
Another fun event you could host is an unexpected performance by your organization’s leadership. For example, if you’re an animal rescue group, ask your board members to dress up as adorable furballs and perform a “spontaneous” show outside of their office or in a local park.
Create a contest for the funniest costume or makeup look. Either way, you’re sure to have some serious laughs on your hands.
For something less formal, have your young people complete odd jobs for those in need. This activity can be held as a one-off event or scheduled over multiple weekends.
To maximize this event’s impact, invite many people to attend. Charge participants a nominal fee to participate and ask them to spread the news about it via social media platforms and blogs. The more people who take part in your fundraiser, the greater funds you’ll raise!
Peer-to-peer fundraising
Peer-to-peer fundraising is an effective strategy for nonprofits to broaden their audience and boost revenue. It combines personal connections with online giving through a social media-friendly donation page.
Fundraising online offers donors the chance to connect with those who support them, giving them a sense of ownership over the nonprofit. This type of fundraising is especially attractive to young people who are increasingly used (and expecting) to being able to engage online.
Running a successful peer-to-peer fundraiser relies on providing your participants with the tools, support and friendly reminders they need to reach their individual fundraising goals. Make sure they have their own customized campaign page to showcase their connection to your organization as well as to show off their progress towards reaching those milestones.
Make it effortless for them to promote your campaign within their own networks by setting up a branded fundraiser page that allows them to customize messaging and share stories with their network of supporters. Doing this is an effective way to compel both new and existing supporters to spread the news of your cause with friends, family members and colleagues.
Once your supporters have their own personalized fundraising page, they can begin raising funds on your behalf by using their social media accounts to spread the news of the fundraiser. This gives them an opportunity to reach out to their entire network of friends, families and colleagues, thus expanding your donor pool.
Your supporters can raise funds on your behalf through crowdfunding, by organizing fundraising events like birthdays or participating in team fun runs and friendly competitions. These fundraising strategies encourage healthy competition amongst your followers and motivate them to form teams.
Peer-to-peer fundraising may seem complex at first glance, but it can be an incredibly effective strategy for nonprofits when it comes to raising money and building brand awareness. However, remember that this initiative requires support from all members of your organization – not just executive staff or board.
