One of the biggest challenges that nonprofit organizations face is getting the necessary funds to complete their campaigns. But there are a surprising number of ways to achieve this.
Do you need some inspiration for your own NPO’s fundraising efforts? Have a look at our 5 ways to get funding for your nonprofit organization.
1. Qualify For Government Grants
A large number of nonprofit organizations never make it to launch, due to a lack of funds, despite having staff committed to the cause, who are willing to work for little or no money. Any organization, even a nonprofit one, has running costs. And that’s besides the need to raise funds for your chosen cause.
A government grant can be the solution. And receiving one will also boost your credibility in the eyes of the public. As a bonus, it doesn’t have to be repaid, and an NPO may receive more than one government grant.
To qualify for such funding, it helps to have the credentials that count. A degree in social work can prepare you for many of the duties your NPO needs to perform. And it makes you appear more capable and trustworthy when applying for financial assistance.
Is being accepted into a master of social work program difficult? Yes, but it can help you to secure funding, negotiate with authority, and help you deal with your work within the NPO. Investing in your education thus becomes an investment in the future success of your NPO.
2. Create Social Media Campaigns For Private Donations
One of the most effective ways of reaching a wider audience is to create accounts on social media platforms. But to ensure that this works for you, you must regularly revise your social media marketing strategy.
This is where most of the public is spending their free time. Make it work for you. Create multiple social media accounts and tailor your fundraising campaign to suit those platforms. Your campaign may include your mission statement, video clips, image galleries, and various other snippets of interest.
The easier you make it to engage with your NPO, the better. So, remember to incorporate sharing buttons to reach an even wider audience. And set up a donation service within your account so that people can contribute with the click of a button.
And, most importantly, post regular updates about how the campaign is doing, how much money you’ve raised, and what it’s being used for. It increases your reputation and credibility, but it also spurs donors on to give even more.
3. Set Up Corporate Sponsorships
Corporate sponsorships can be a great boon when trying to raise funds for your NPO. The business world can make a big difference by donating money to your NPO, either once-off or on a monthly or yearly basis.
To ensure your success at receiving such sponsorship, approach companies that have a vested interest in your NPO’s campaigns. There are two very different ways to approach this.
Firstly, you could approach companies that align with the cause you are trying to raise awareness for. An example of this would be a company that sells pet-related products if your NPO deals with animal welfare.
Secondly, you can also approach companies who conflict with your ideas, as a means to improve their social image. An example would be a company in the industrial sector (responsible for a lot of the world’s pollution). They can commit to contributing to your NPO’s environmental clean-up campaigns.
4. Design Club Memberships
Because 45% of donors worldwide are enrolled in a monthly donation program, it makes sense to establish a structured giving program. But with so much competition for these resources, you need to stand out among the rest.
Start an online club where people can select memberships for their preference. Lower-tiered memberships may entail a small monthly donation in return for a mention on the site. Higher levels will constitute bigger perks for larger monthly donations.
Making giving fun and rewarding will go a long way to improving your fundraising efforts. And the incentives don’t have to be extravagant to appeal to donors. Just be sure that the cost of any perks offered is far outweighed by the benefits of donations.
5. Hold Charity Auctions With Donated Goods
With many legit ways to make money online these days, it’s easy to forget that there are other tried-and-trusted ways to raise funds. And one of these is hosting a charity auction. You can host a charity auction online, too.
Don’t forget the role that technology can play here. Charity auction software can simplify the whole process for you. Put donated goods that you can’t use to better use by auctioning them off for your charity’s benefit.
The fact that people bidding will know their money is going to a worthy cause will drive them to give more. But remember that to be profitable, you need at least a few high-end items to attract the public’s participation. You may approach retailers in your area to donate such goods for this purpose.
