Need a new way to pump up this year's fundraisers at your
nonprofit? These six fundraising ideas will definitely maximize
your results.
1 - Auction off premium event seating
2 - Grab Google Grants for publicity
3 - Leverage eBay for donations
4 - Swell your revenue stream with credit
5 - Multiply donations with upfront requests
6 - Explode your results by going OTT
Heard about the Minneapolis church that auctioned off their
three front pews for the Christmas Eve service as part of their
school fundraiser? The bids topped $6,000 or $1,000 a pew. Not
bad for something that went for free most other places. Just
imagine what you can get for the premium seats at your own
events.
Are you hip to Google Grants? The world's favorite search engine
provides free advertising for registered 501c nonprofit groups.
The Google Grants program is like Google's pay-per-click AdWords
program without having to pay for the clicks. To be eligible,
groups must have a website, non-profit 501(c)(3) status and not
be religious or political in nature. Google picks new grantees
every quarter. To apply for Google's free advertising program,
fill out an online application at
http://services.google.com/googlegrants/application
Got eBay? Not in your fund raising plan? Then go to the world's
largest market place and sign up your nonprofit group for online
donations. eBay Giving Works puts the power of the eBay
Marketplace to work for nonprofit organizations. Anyone can sell
items on eBay and donate part or the entire final sale price to
your nonprofit organization. Donations from the sales of eBay
Giving Works items will be collected and distributed to you, and
tax receipts will be issued to the seller on your behalf. Find
out more at
http://givingworks.ebay.com/nonprofit/
Did you know credit is better than cash? Not only are people
more likely to honor a pledge backed by a credit card than an
ordinary phone pledge (100% to 70%), they are also much more
willing to give more if you split the amount into smaller
monthly pledges. Instead of asking for a $100 donation, ask for
$10 a month. Make sure you set it up as a recurring billing
where you can bill the monthly amount for periods up to 36
months. Find the monthly sweet spot of your donor base and
explode your donations on autopilot.
Shy about asking directly for money? A small Illinois nonprofit
held a fundraising dinner for their supporters and raised
$6,000. They prominently placed a big donation jar at the
registration table and raised an extra $18,000. Don't be shy
about asking for help and don't be shy about making it as easy
as possible for supporters to give financial support at any
event. Just be upfront about your needs and give them high
visibility.
Know the secret of OTT? Over the top is what you want your
fundraising event to be, the must attend occasion topping the
social calendar. Pull out all the stops to add glitz and
glamour. Be sure to provide multiple attractions that encourage
participants to join in the fun (and open their wallets)
wherever possible. Silent auctions, live auctions, raffles, door
prizes, entertainment, sponsorships, celebrity presenters, and
glamorous settings work wonders by boosting turnout through free
publicity and word of mouth. By going "over the top" with your
fundraising event, you'll magnify your donations mightily.
Put these fundraising ideas to work for your nonprofit group
and make 2006 your best year ever.
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