4 Steps to Help Elevate Your Fundraising Campaigns in 2023

Nonprofits and educational institutions alike often rely on generous donor contributions to supply funding that supports their mission-focused and day-to-day efforts. And yet even with a dedicated supporter base, the same old fundraising efforts can grow tired⁠—and ultimately ineffective.

That’s why it’s important to make your fundraising and engagement opportunities stand out. Luckily, your team can differentiate your initiatives this year with a few key practices. 

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Not only will these tried-and-true fundraising tricks result in elevated revenue for your cause, but they’ll also aid in improving the donor experience for your supporters.

Popular marketing and communications channels⁠—online and offline alike⁠—are becoming increasingly competitive landscapes for all sorts of groups looking to best engage their audiences.

The solution? Coming at your audience from multiple different angles.

In other words, in order to stand out and produce the intended results, more and more fundraisers are turning to multichannel initiatives. Though the chosen channels can vary from one cause to another, top methods typically include a combination of the following:

• An organization’s website
• Email communications
• Direct mailings
• Phone and SMS outreach
• Social media postings
• Paid advertisements

Not only does your institution have to differentiate itself from other nonprofits and schools, but you’re also having to fight through the clutter of every other message being thrown your supporters’ way⁠—including from for-profit businesses and more.

A multi⁠channel fundraising campaign effort can help your team reach its audience in the most effective ways possible.

Technology⁠—and specifically, automation technology⁠—can make fundraising more efficient than ever before. However, you don’t want your donor communications to suffer from a lack of personalization as a result. After all, effective fundraising is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. 

Instead, taking a strategically personalized approach can go a long way toward engaging with donors and making your communications stand out. As you craft your fundraising communications, keep in mind that you want donors to feel as if the messages were specifically crafted just for them.

This might include:

• Addressing the donor by name (“Dear Kate” vs. “Dear donor”)
• Acknowledging specific prior engagements (“Thanks for your continued support of our institution—including a recent donation of $100 to our Giving Day campaign!”)
• Incorporating targeted fundraising appeals (Noting a previous annual contribution of $250 and making a follow-up donation ask of $400)

Another key example of personalization in fundraising might include providing employer-specific information regarding workplace giving programs for the company a donor works for (“Did you know that Home Depot matches employee donations up to $3,000 per year?”).

And speaking of matching gifts⁠—that brings us to our next point!

One of the best yet often overlooked ways to make any nonprofit or educational fundraising efforts stand out is with corporate matching gifts. Not only can these program offerings elevate fundraising by introducing new corporate giving potential, but they drive more individual giving and engagement as well.

Matching gift research indicates that corporate match offerings typically result in elevated conversion rates⁠, not to mention increased gift sizes. In fact, simply mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals led to a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. And that’s not surprising, considering 84% of survey participants say they’re more likely to donate⁠—and 1 in 3 donors indicate they’d give a larger gift⁠—if a match is to be applied.

And with powerful fundraising tools, it’s easier than ever to incorporate matching gifts into your overall strategy. Here are a few ways you can do so:

• Share information about matching gift programs on your social media pages, email blasts, fundraising appeals, and more.
• Collect employment information within your online giving pages, mentioning matching gift programs to provide context.
• Trigger automated follow-up emails that remind donors about matching gift programs and encourage eligible supporters to complete their match requests post-transaction.

The more you promote matching gift opportunities, the more likely your donors are to engage!

Our final tip for standout fundraising is one of the best ways to maintain regular giving revenue throughout the year. And it has to do with pursuing monthly recurring donations!

According to key fundraising statistics from Double the Donation, online monthly revenue grew by over 40%⁠—particularly as recurring gift options become increasingly popular among supporters.

Donors love having the opportunity to support their favorite causes long-term without having to go through the process of making separate donations every month. At the same time, receiving organizations (like yours) cherish the steady, anticipated income of regular gifts.

Therefore, as you begin developing your organization’s upcoming fundraising appeals, be sure to emphasize the amplified, ongoing impact of recurring gifts. When it’s as easy as clicking a “Make It a Recurring Donation” button, you might be surprised at how many supporters opt to do so.

It’s time to make a strategic effort to ensure your fundraising efforts stand out from the crowd.

Luckily, these innovative, next-level fundraising tips and tricks can help elevate your cause, resulting in the donor engagement and giving levels you need for ultimate success. So begin incorporating them into your strategy today.

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Click here to check out a post about the Importance of Personalized + Multichannel Fundraising.

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