Internet Fundraising Ideas:
The Top 4 Ideas

The list of internet fundraising ideas keeps growing every year, but there is a lot of noise and nonsense that grows with it!

So to help you out...

Here are the top 4 ideas that you can use online!

The Best Online Fundraising Ideas:

Quick links...

Crowdfunding | Email Fundraising | Social Media Fundraising | Online Apparel Store

Crowdfunding:

This idea is definitely number 1 for individuals - but can also be used to great affect by Charities!

Thousands of causes have used this online idea successfully to raise funds, from a few hundred dollars, to a few million dollars!

Here's how it works...

You simply setup an online donation page for free on your favorite crowdfunding/fundraising website.

Then share that page with family, friends, supporters, etc. - Encourage them to share it forward as well - And then receive donations from a Crowd of people!

Unfortunately because it's so simple to setup a donation page, many people only do a half-hearted job and then don't share and promote their page effectively either!

And so do not succeed with their fundraiser!!!

THERE ARE STEPS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS TYPE OF FUNDRAISER!

So please...

Read through the 10 Step Online Donation and Crowdfunding Guide. Download the free PDF version of it, and then print it off and refer back to it throughout your campaign.

Crowdfunding provides a phenomenal fundraising method and opportunity! So make sure you use it to its full potential.

Get your Crowdfunding campaign started here.

And for Charities...

The most powerful way to use Crowdfunding is to encourage supporters and individuals to fundraise/crowdfund with your charity as the beneficiary, through sponsored challenges, etc.

For example: An individual runs a marathon for Cancer research and fundraises off a Crowdfunding platform, where the funds go directly to the benefitting Charity.

So what I'd recommend you do is register your Charity with all the top Crowdfunding Platforms so supporters can easily fundraise for you. For example you can register here FREE here.

Email Fundraising:

Online giving has boomed over the last 10 years, and one of the best ways to communicate, connect and then fundraise with supporters online, is via email.

It's free, or generally inexpensive compared to snail mail communications, and provides some great ways to track effectiveness!

Unfortunately many nonprofits and fundraisers fail to use it successfully.

So what do you need to do...

• Build a List - From members, past donors, and volunteers. (And of course friends and family for individual fundraisers.)
• Continue to build that List - Setup methods for signing up email subscribers on your website and Facebook, etc.
• Do not spam!
• Communicate - The majority of your emails should not be fundraising asks. But rather information and stories of the impact your cause is doing.
• Fundraise - Then on the odd occasion send out a fundraising ask.

For more information and advice on this great internet fundraising idea, read the following articles...

• Email Fundraising from the Fundraising Authority.
• 7 Tips for better fundraising emails from Social Razoo.
• And tips for successful email fundraising from Future Fundraising Now.

Social Media Fundraising:

Fundraising off Social Media is not a singular idea. It provides multiple internet fundraising ideas and fundraising benefits...

Firstly...

It helps build a presence for your cause online, where you can engage and connect with supporters and potential donors. Your Social Media accounts shouldn't focus on fundraising (or the ask) as such, but rather be the starting point of the fundraising funnel!

Connect and engage with your supporters and drive them to your website where people are more likely to give.

Secondly...

It also provides a place to promote all your fundraisers! Both offline ideas and internet fundraising ideas!

And finally...

Social Media is where you will drive the promotions of your Crowdfunding campaign/s. Use it to create a BUZZ about your fundraiser, and drive people to your online donation page!

Many people call Crowdfunding the Social Media fundraiser anyway!

Be sure to check out John Haydon's Blog on Social Media for Nonprofits and Fundraising. And also Julia Campbell's blog: J Campbell Social Marketing for Nonprofits.

Online Apparel Store:

Apparel fundraising has successfully raised funds for many causes for years now! But its one downfall is the capitol cost involved in making and printing your branded Apparel.

And that's where an Online Apparel store is so powerful.

It's FREE to setup, and there are no printing costs. You also then don't need to worry about logistics and delivery. It's all taken care of.

Supporters will order Apparel off your store, and that Apparel will be delivered directly to them, at no cost to you.

You then receive around 20% earnings from each purchase, which is a decent profit margin for Apparel sales.

Promote:

What you will need to do is effectively promote your store, or else no one will actually go there and purchase. The promoting of your store is exceptionally important and where most of the unsuccessful campaigns actually fail.

So, read through the Online Apparel Fundraising page for advice on how to setup your store and promote it successfully. And also read through the Promoting a Fundraiser article for more great promotional ideas!

And finally head over to SSA Stores to setup your online apparel shop (for USA fundraisers).

For non-US fundraisers take a read through the Online Fundraiser Stores page to see if there are any alternatives you could use.

And for more Internet Fundraising Ideas, take a look here.

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