- . Digg It
- . Sphere It
- . E-mail This
- . Save to del.icio.us
- . Permanent Link
Expert Tips: Pick Best Fundraiser
Gayle Roberts tells how to pick a fundraiser for your cause
On Tuesday, fundraiser extraordinaire Gayle Roberts revealed what it takes to be a master fundraiser. Now she tells Do-Gooder how you can choose the best fundraiser for your cause. Online? Gala? 5K Run? Annual fund? It all depends ...
How do you see the potential of fundraising online?
Online fundraising is creating a new giving market where one never existed. Its vast potential cannot truly be predicted. However, offline and online, the fundamentals of fundraising are no different. The fundraising cycle consists of five basic stages: planning, prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewardship. First, goals are set and needed resources are identified. Second, gift markets are prioritized and individual donors identified. Third, strategies are implemented to develop relationships with prospective donors within each gift market. Fourth, donations are solicited and acquired. Fifth, donors are encouraged to become engaged in the organization and are told about the use of their funds. This process is repeated again and again. Each time the goal is to upgrade donors to a higher giving level, increasing the percentage return per donation after expenses.
Most nonprofits are only just beginning to take advantage of the new opportunities presented by online fundraising at each stage of the fundraising cycle. Today it is used primarily as a communication outreach and donor acquisition tool. Those that maximize online fundraising at each of the five stages, and integrate it with offline efforts, have the potential to dramatically increase their fundraising reach and effectiveness. This includes major donor prospecting, acquisition, and stewardship.
It is important to note that online donors are demanding more, not less, information and involvement in the nonprofits they support. This is accelerating a shift toward a more donor-centric fundraising style. For many nonprofits, particularly small to mid-size organizations, this is going to require a major internal culture shift. Therefore the biggest barrier to succeeding online is not technological, but human.
How do you see the potential of fundraising online?
Online fundraising is creating a new giving market where one never existed. Its vast potential cannot truly be predicted. However, offline and online, the fundamentals of fundraising are no different. The fundraising cycle consists of five basic stages: planning, prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewardship. First, goals are set and needed resources are identified. Second, gift markets are prioritized and individual donors identified. Third, strategies are implemented to develop relationships with prospective donors within each gift market. Fourth, donations are solicited and acquired. Fifth, donors are encouraged to become engaged in the organization and are told about the use of their funds. This process is repeated again and again. Each time the goal is to upgrade donors to a higher giving level, increasing the percentage return per donation after expenses.
Most nonprofits are only just beginning to take advantage of the new opportunities presented by online fundraising at each stage of the fundraising cycle. Today it is used primarily as a communication outreach and donor acquisition tool. Those that maximize online fundraising at each of the five stages, and integrate it with offline efforts, have the potential to dramatically increase their fundraising reach and effectiveness. This includes major donor prospecting, acquisition, and stewardship.
It is important to note that online donors are demanding more, not less, information and involvement in the nonprofits they support. This is accelerating a shift toward a more donor-centric fundraising style. For many nonprofits, particularly small to mid-size organizations, this is going to require a major internal culture shift. Therefore the biggest barrier to succeeding online is not technological, but human.
What People Are Saying…
Leave a Comment