Join us in this webinar and learn how to fuse form and function, creating a page that not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also supercharges your fundraising results.

Key Takeaways

• Branded Page Blueprint: Dive deep into the elements that constitute an impactful donation page, from smart logo placements to persuasive messaging.
• Optimized Donor UX: Navigate the intricacies of user experience, ensuring each touchpoint on your donation page reflects your brand and smoothly leads donors through their giving journey.
• Narrative-Infused Donation Path: Unravel the art of embedding compelling, brand-aligned stories that make every donation step resonate with your overarching mission.
• Mobile-First Mastery: Gain expertise in optimizing your donation page for a mobile-centric world, ensuring a seamless and engaging branded experience across every device.

With actionable insights tailored specifically for nonprofit fundraisers and marketers, this webinar promises not just theory but practical strategies you can implement immediately.

This session will also feature a live Q&A and be recorded for on-demand viewing.

Year-End has the potential for large returns, with 30% of annual charitable giving taking place in December alone – but what about the philanthropic challenges to contend with?

Download the Fundraising Toolkit:

The Challenge

Post-pandemic fatigue and economic uncertainty have caused a 10.5% dip in donations. Coupled with a saturated market, traditional approaches just aren’t cutting it anymore. The era of easy fundraising is over — it’s time to change the game, and we’ve got the Year-End and GivingTuesday playbook you need!

The Solution

Embrace the donor-centric revolution. As you work to capture hearts and wallets, you’ll need to focus on the donor experience and differentiate yourself from the crowd.

We’ve created a comprehensive Year-End & GivingTuesday Fundraising Toolkit so you can plan your Year-End and GivingTuesday journey from start to finish.

Our All New 2023 Year-End & GivingTuesday Fundraising Toolkit will help you:

• Stand out and get noticed.
• Define your unique mission and impact.
• Set campaign goals and objectives.
• Create a proven communications calendar.
• Get people excited to rally for your cause.
• Optimize your donation form to convert more donors.
• Customize first-draft appeals and emails with our communications templates.

Discover what’s inside…

The 3-Part Year-End & GivingTuesday Fundraising Toolkit

• The Comprehensive Year-End Fundraising Plan: Navigate the Year-End maze with expert insights and strategies that work. You’ll learn the importance of Year-End, get inspired with different campaign and marketing ideas, learn how to set goals, create a communications calendar, get donor matches, acquire more major donors, engage your community, create a donor experience that shines and more!
• The Comprehensive GivingTuesday Campaign Plan: Use this step-by-step roadmap to success. Craft a campaign that’s not just noticed but cherished by your donors. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling story, fundraise using our proven GivingTuesday timeline and gain inspiration with our GivingTuesday campaign examples!
• Free Marketing and Communications Templates: Start writing your Year-End and GivingTuesday appeals, emails, receipts and social media posts from a first draft, not from scratch! You can customize our communications templates and tailor them to your voice. Bonus: customizable social media graphics included!

Download the Fundraising Toolkit:

Our Generous Partners

This free guide is made possible through our partners listed here. Big thanks for their dedication in equipping nonprofits for successful Year-End and GivingTuesday fundraising. Check them out below!

Drawing from the wealth of insights accumulated over years of dedicated work, we’ve distilled a comprehensive four-step process from our webinar to help you unearth new donors. 

About the Presenter

Chris Barlow is the Customer Happiness Director of Beeline Marketing. While he originally aspired to immerse himself in cause-focused endeavors, his path led him towards the realm of business. Yet, in a serendipitous twist of fate, Chris’s passion for both worlds converged in 2015 when he founded Beeline. This enterprise became a catalyst for nonprofits, enabling them to amplify their mission and cultivate a burgeoning donor base.

His unique blend of experience has not only bridged the gap between altruism and business but has also allowed him to develop a four-step approach to help you find new donors for your nonprofit. 

This journey begins with the essential step of planning and creating a lead magnet. It’s a journey where we recognize that donors often arise from the pool of individuals who initially connect with our mission as email subscribers.

Step 1: Plan & Create Lead Magnet

There’s a lot of jargon tossed around in the nonprofit industry, but let’s break it down. What exactly is a lead magnet? Simply put, it’s a digital resource that you create once and then use repeatedly to help your target audience. Those interested will be required to give you their email address in exchange for the resource, which leads to new subscribers to your email content.

In practical terms, creating a lead magnet involves providing potential donors with something valuable that resonates with their interests and needs. When people browse the internet, they’re usually seeking entertainment, answers, or solutions to their problems. Rarely are they actively searching for nonprofits to support. Therefore, the key is to tailor your lead magnet to align with what donors are looking for, making it a vital tool in your quest to connect with supporters.

Identify Your Expertise

To attract new donors, your primary aim should be to leverage the knowledge and skills that drive your mission. It’s about using what you already know to meet the needs of potential donors. By doing this, you’re not just providing a solution; you’re offering them a window into your mission, building a bridge of connection in the process.

For example, if your organization is a food bank, your expertise naturally centers around addressing hunger and food insecurity within the community. To effectively harness this expertise and engage potential donors, consider offering a variety of lead magnets. It’s a good idea to brainstorm ideas for lead magnets as a starting point for your research. Consider possibilities like recipe books, educational webinars, and a toolkit for organizing food drives.

Do Market Research

The goal for your lead magnet is to create a resource that people may find when they are using a search engine. Initiate your market research by using a free tool known as Google Keyword Planner. By creating an account, you gain access to the current search volume for any given keyword, enabling you to gauge the level of interest in specific terms.

Continuing with the food bank example above, you may wonder how this aligns with your potential donors’ interests. However, many people, even if they’re not in need of food assistance, often seek culinary inspiration for their home cooking. They frequently search for nutritional meal ideas, plans, and recipes. As a food bank, you possess valuable expertise in this area, which can be leveraged to create a resource that addresses this common concern among your potential donors.

Once you’ve employed the keyword planner, you’ll get search results that can be tailored to specific timeframes. Additionally, you can refine the targeted geographical area to align with your donor base’s location. If your nonprofit primarily draws support from your local community, narrowing down the geographic scope is prudent. 

Subsequently, you can fine-tune your keyword selection, focusing on terms relevant to the lead magnet you intend to create. In this context, your aim is to gauge the level of interest in topics such as healthy dinner recipes or fast, nutritious meal plans.

Choose a Format

Remember, your primary goal here isn’t to deliver a product or service. Instead, you’re trying to convey that you can share valuable knowledge and expertise in an informative format to assist people.

Now that you’ve gained insights into keyword volume, the next step is determining the perceived value of such a resource. This is where you can engage your current donor base by seeking their opinions through surveys. By surveying your donor base, you can ascertain the ideal format for your lead magnet or resource. The options are diverse and encompass e-books, infographics, online courses, videos, petitions, quizzes, and more.

While a petition can galvanize action, it may not precisely cater to donors’ needs. Although it’s straightforward and concise, petitions tend to have a very low conversion rate (the amount of people who take action), typically ranging between 0.3% to 0.5%.

On the other hand, online courses boast the highest average conversion rates, falling between 6% to 10%, and sometimes even reaching 20%. However, developing an online course is a substantial undertaking, often requiring months to create.

Hence, the ideal compromise lies in crafting an ebook, quiz, or infographic. These formats offer valuable information in a condensed manner compared to online courses, and they can be assembled within a few weeks, ready for repeated use. While the conversion rate may be lower, averaging at 3% to 5%, it strikes a good balance, in terms of optimal results for the amount of effort invested.

Step 2: Offer the Lead Magnet

Once your lead magnet is ready, the next step is to entice potential donors to subscribe.

Create a Landing Page

This is the stage where you craft a dedicated landing page to present your lead magnet in exchange for their email address. You’re probably acquainted with this concept. Unlike your website’s homepage, which caters to a broad audience, the landing page is designed for a specific target audience. It addresses a particular issue or question and offers a tailored response. 

Consequently, the page should resonate with your visitors by understanding their concerns or inquiries and guiding them towards your resource, also known as your lead magnet. Your landing page must remain pertinent and persuade your potential leads to stay on the page instead of clicking the “back” button. Make a compelling case on your landing page, highlighting why subscribing is worthwhile and how it will prove helpful.

Step 3: Promote the Resource 

We all know that donors emerge from the pool of subscribers who initially start as visitors. So, how do we attract more visitors? The key is to actively promote your lead magnet. It’s essential to ensure that the resource you’re offering reaches individuals actively seeking it, and there are numerous avenues to achieve this goal. This approach offers remarkable flexibility and can be implemented using various strategies, including social media advertising. Additionally, you can tap into Google Ad Grants, which provide qualified nonprofits with a generous monthly allowance of $10,000 in free advertising credits.

Given that we’ve already conducted research indicating a substantial number of individuals searching for relevant keywords, we can proactively engage with them through targeted advertising. For instance, if you identify people searching for “cat adoptions,” you can create an ad specifically geared towards promoting adoptable cats, effectively connecting those in need with your resource.

Step 4: Engage & Qualify Leads

In the final step of the process, the focus shifts to converting new subscribers -who are essentially unfamiliar with your organization – into engaged supporters. The primary objectives are to encourage them to open your emails, click on your links, and actively respond. 

Chris emphasizes the importance of the often-overlooked metric of generating responses, as those who respond demonstrate higher engagement compared to mere email openers. Creating a dialogue with these individuals provides an opportunity to establish a connection, initiate conversations, and build a relationship. This stage allows you to inquire about their interests, passions, and motivations, identifying areas of alignment with your organization’s mission.

To lay the foundation for transforming these engaged individuals into new donors, Chris recommends implementing a strategy known as a Welcome Series. This series of emails aims to nurture the budding relationship and guide them toward deeper engagement with your cause.

Welcome Series

A Welcome Series is a strategic sequence of emails designed to establish a strong foundation for building relationships with new subscribers.

So what can you put in a welcome series to lay that groundwork? Chris’s recommended approach consists of the following:

• Email #1: The first email you’re going to send out right away that delivers the resource you promised them. The goal is to build trust. Do what you say you’re going to do.
• Email #2: The next day, send an email introducing yourself personally rather than the organization. Share a few key details about yourself and how you got connected. Encourage recipients to reply, fostering dialogue and an opportunity for them to share more about themselves.
• Email #3: Share additional helpful ideas within the email. This email reinforces the previous two by providing more valuable information.
• Email #4: Ask a soft question in this email, encouraging recipients to take a step and engage. For example, inquire about their current challenges, aligning with their interests and needs. Express that you monitor responses and find them helpful in developing additional resources.
• Email #5: Tell a compelling story illustrating how your organization fulfills its mission. Use this narrative to draw recipients in, capitalizing on the emerging relationship. The aim is to connect recipients emotionally to your mission.
• Email #6: In the final email of the Welcome Series, issue a call to action, inviting recipients to take the next step, such as participating in a fundraising event or making a donation.

It’s advisable to maintain a 4:1 ratio within this series – four emails focused on serving and inspiring, and one email dedicated to making a specific request or call to action. This balanced approach ensures that not every email solicits action, increasing the likelihood that recipients will continue to engage with your emails over time.

Make a Thank You Donation Page

To ensure your prospective donors reach the finish line and make a contribution, prioritize a gratitude-driven donation page. Once individuals subscribe, guide them to a dedicated “Thank You” donation page. Here, express your heartfelt appreciation for their interest and extend an opportunity to make a donation. This not only cultivates goodwill but also opens the door to potential financial support.

Unlocking Your Donors

The journey to find new donors for your nonprofit is an exciting one. By embracing the insights and strategies shared in this comprehensive four-step process, you are poised to unearth hidden gems of support that will fuel your mission’s growth and amplify its impact.

As we’ve learned from Chris Barlow’s expert guidance, the key lies in creating meaningful connections with potential donors and nurturing these relationships over time. The Welcome Series offers a powerful tool to lay the groundwork for transforming subscribers into dedicated donors.

But of course once you get new potential donors in the door, you want to be ready with a seamless donation page so you don’t lose them in the most important step of the process!

At CauseVox, this is our specialty. To optimize your donation page today, get our free download: The Complete Guide to Building Your Donation Page.

Download The Complete Guide to Building Your Donation Page:

But was this trend uniform across all donor categories? Do Gen Z, the digital natives, give the same way as the Baby Boomers? And what about those high-flyers with deeper pockets?

Dive into our 2023 CauseVox Giving Study to unveil the distinct giving behaviors of different generations and the habits of high-earning donors.

Whitepaper Download Form

In this free download you’ll gain insights into:

• Generational Giving Gaps: How does Gen Z’s giving behavior stack against the tried and true habits of Boomers?
• High-Earner Philanthropy: Discover what motivates the affluent to open their wallets and how you can tap into this.
• Digital Vs. Traditional: While Gen Z might prefer a mobile wallet, are Boomers still writing checks? Get the lowdown on the latest giving trends.
• Trust in Tales: Learn how storytelling, from real-life testimonials to impactful narratives, influences donor engagement across ages.
• Crafting Tailored Donor Experiences: Strategies to resonate with different demographics, combining efficiency and personal touch.
• Engaging Beyond Money: Why modern donors, regardless of age or income, crave a deeper connection with the causes they support.

The landscape of philanthropy is diverse and evolving. With shifts in economic climates and donor preferences, it’s imperative to understand and adapt. Download our whitepaper and equip yourself with the knowledge to appeal to every donor, from the Boomer to the Zoomer, and the high-earner in between.

Secure your copy now and set your nonprofit on a trajectory of success in this diverse era of giving!

Whitepaper Download Form

Our latest research through the CauseVox Giving Study, delves deep into the dynamics of today’s donor preferences, uncovering evolving challenges and unprecedented opportunities. Join us as we decipher the findings from our trailblazing whitepaper, “Navigating Modern Philanthropy.”

In this exclusive webinar, you’ll discover:

• The Modern Donor Landscape: Understand the surprising ways today’s donors are prioritizing charitable giving.
• Digital Transformation in Giving: Explore the latest trends in payment methods and how to capitalize on them.
• Storytelling as a Trust Builder: Unveil the profound impact of real-life testimonials and narratives on donor engagement.
• Crafting the Ultimate Donor Experience: Tips on balancing efficiency with a personal touch in the digital age.
• Going Beyond the Wallet: Strategies to involve and engage donors who seek a more participatory role in your mission.

As we venture into an era marked by shifting donor preferences and an uncertain economic climate, it’s time to revolutionize our fundraising approaches. This webinar promises insights and ideas to enhance your donor relationships, engagement, and retention. Register today to ensure your nonprofit thrives in this new philanthropic paradigm! 

This session will also feature a live Q&A and be recorded for on-demand viewing.

Whether you’re new to fundraising or looking to enhance your existing strategies, this webinar is designed to equip you with the tools you need to achieve – and exceed! –  your GivingTuesday goals. 

In this 60-minute live webinar, you’ll learn how to:

• Define your campaign goals and develop a compelling story for your campaign,
• Effectively communicate your cause to inspire and engage donors,
• Explore various fundraising channels and how to tailor your messaging for different platforms, and
• Discover the impact of matching gifts and fundraising challenges.

Don’t miss this chance to learn valuable insights and practical tips that will help you conquer GivingTuesday and turbocharge your campaign results!

This session will also feature a live Q&A and be recorded for on-demand viewing.

The following fall festival fundraising ideas and action steps are great for any nonprofit looking to warm the hearts of their supporters and make a meaningful impact for their beneficiaries. Whether you are looking for ideas as a church, school, or other community-oriented nonprofit, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the event ideas, how to’s, and fundraising strategies so that you can get started on your own autumn extravaganza!

Laying the Foundation

Defining The Purpose And Goals Of Your Fall Festival

As a kid, I remember begging my parents for more money to bring to school for our annual fall festival, namely for one particular event: the cake walk. Depending on your organization, the cake walk may not be the winning experience, however, it is crucial to define what and who the event is for, and how you will engage people to attend. Focusing on your cause is imperative and relaying that information to your attendees is essential in ensuring a successful event.

It is important to consider questions like these. Are you:

• Curating a kid-friendly fundraiser that caters to families? 
• Envisioning a delightful, cost-free gathering that unites the community? 
• Looking to offer a paid festival where your supporters get an experience or create something they can take home? 

Not sure? Don’t worry, we will share more questions to ask yourself and ideas below.

The Art of Planning and Organization

Behind the scenes of every successful fall festival fundraiser lies meticulous planning. Every detail, from selecting the perfect venue and crafting engaging activities to coordinating volunteers and securing sponsors plays a crucial role in creating a seamless and unforgettable experience. The time invested in careful preparation not only ensures a smoothly run event but also maximizes the fundraising potential, leaving both organizers and attendees with a sense of accomplishment and delight. 

Choosing the Right Location and Date

It is important to look for both a practical and pleasing venue for your target audience. If you live in an area with unpredictable weather, maybe choose a venue that has both indoor and outdoor features. Hosting an event for families where most people need to drive? Consider securing a place with easy and ample parking.

When choosing a date for your fall fundraising event, try to plan around, or maybe with other similar events to ensure maximal footfall. It is always important to gauge the community’s availability to ensure that your event becomes an integral part of their fall schedule. 

To learn everything there is to know about planning a nonprofit fundraising event, check out our free guide. 

Download your Complete Guide to Fundraising Events

Crafting Engaging Activities and Entertainment

If you are stumped for ideas of what to include for your big event, don’t worry. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for activities to consider including in your fall festival:

1. Pumpkin Patch

Create a charming pumpkin patch and offer fun activities like pumpkin carving contests, hayrides, and pumpkin painting. Attendees can purchase pumpkins and participate in the activities, with proceeds going towards your cause. You can get prizes donated so that the person with the best pumpkin carving wins something special. This adds a little friendly competition and encourages more people to get involved. 

2.Haunted House or Corn Maze

Capitalize on the Halloween spirit by organizing a spooky haunted house or corn maze. Charge admission for the thrill-seekers who want to experience the scares. You can also offer different levels of fright, ensuring there’s something for everyone. If you are space limited, offer a costume contest where participants can win a spot prize for the best outfit. You can set up a photobooth and encourage participants to take photos and tag your organization. This is an easy and free way to gain exposure and create excitement around your event. 

3. Live Music 

Curate a diverse lineup of local musicians, bands, or performers that resonate with the fall theme and your audience’s preferences, or host a community talent show. You can charge entrance for the day and invite people to bring their blankets and set up for an afternoon of entertainment. Don’t forget to offer hot apple cider or Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL) for people to enjoy while they listen.

4. Fall-Themed Games

Friendly competition adds an electrifying spark to your fundraising efforts. You can have a variety of games for all ages from apple bobbing relays to pie eating contests. Kids can enjoy a hay bale maze or leaf pile jump with little prizes hidden amongst leaves. Adults may enjoy bingo, fall themed trivia, or pumpkin bowling. Regardless of age, these engaging activities heighten the festival experience and foster a sense of community while supporting your cause.

5. Silent Auction

Incorporating a silent auction into your fall festival fundraising event can significantly enhance the engagement and fundraising potential. You can gather fall-themed auction items, like a fall inspired cooking class and harvest basket, a weekend away in the mountains, or an autumn adventure pack with outdoor gear and experiences. To make the silent auction family friendly, you can tie in a pumpkin-themed play area or hayride experience for the kids while the parents walk around and bid on items.

If you are looking for more inspiration, check out these 19 Fall Fundraiser ideas.

Promoting your Fall Festival Fundraiser

Creating a Buzz

To ensure your fall festival fundraiser reaches its full potential, leverage the power of social media platforms to reach a wide audience, using captivating visuals and event details to pique interest. You can also engage local community channels through posters and flyers to tap into the neighborhood’s pulse. The age-old charm of word-of-mouth remains a potent tool – encouraging supporters to share the event within their circles and to bring a friend–or the whole family–is a great way to multiply the amount of attendees. 

Capitalize on using social media to promote your fall festival!

Volunteer Recruitment and Management

The heartbeat of any successful fall festival fundraiser is the dedicated team of volunteers. Reach out to your network of supporters to share this exciting, tangible way to get involved in your organization. 

Efficiently managing volunteers involves establishing a structured system where roles and responsibilities are defined, allowing volunteers to contribute their skills effectively. 

And always remember to acknowledge your volunteers’ hard work. Recognition not only fosters a positive relationship but also encourages their continued involvement in future events, creating a cycle of support that benefits both the fundraiser and the volunteers themselves.

Fundraising Strategies

So now that you have some ideas on what you want your event to include, what your goals are, and how you are going to get the word out, the real work begins. There are a myriad of ways to approach fundraising and here are some ways to maximize your fall festival!

1. Sell Tickets To Your Event

One easy way to operate your event is to sell tickets. With CauseVox ticketing, you can streamline the buying process and maximize your fundraising with integrated event ticketing. 

You can also sell tickets for attendees to be able to participate in the different activities you’ve laid out above. 

2. Ask For Corporate Sponsorships

By partnering with corporate sponsors, you provide businesses an easy opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause that positively impacts their community. This collaboration not only allows you to continue serving your constituents effectively but also positions the businesses as heroes, actively engaged in creating change.

Women Build was able to secure several corporate sponsors to help them reach their mission’s financial goal. 

3. Set Up A Donation Page

It is important to set clear fundraising targets and communicate the impact of your supporters’ donation or purchase on the cause. At CauseVox, you can create a dedicated campaign site (for free!) that allows you to reach your audience, accept donations seamlessly and share your progress. 

You can also invite your supporters to set up peer-to-peer donation pages to engage their communities. For instance, if you are planning to incorporate a “No Shave November” campaign into your fall festival, this is a great opportunity for the participants to set up their own fundraising pages. Picture all the bearded participants showing up on a stage at your fall festival to show off their new facial hair. On the day, you could even provide voting jars for attendees to choose the best beard by placing a dollar in the respective jar.

4. Host A 50/50 Raffle

A 50/50 raffle is a great way to add an exciting twist to your fall festival. Participants have a chance to win half of the collected funds, while the remaining half supports your cause, creating an engaging way to rally support and raise funds simultaneously.

5. Sell Merchandise Or Food

Food vendors are the culinary architects of an unforgettable festival experience. Adding fall favorites, like apple cider, caramel coated apples and pumpkin pie is a great way to add an extra source of income for your fundraiser, especially if you are able to get the food and drinks donated. After an eventful day, everyone will want a nostalgic treat, and knowing that their money is going to a good cause may entice them to buy even more!

This is also a great opportunity to engage the community by inviting local vendors and food trucks to set up at your event. You can arrange that a portion of each sale goes towards your cause, or they pay a flat fee to set up shop for the day. This promotes local business and benefits your mission without the hassle of organizing catering. 

Fall Into Fun

By now I hope the creative juices are flowing with all the ideas of what fun experiences you can include in your fall festival fundraiser.

To make the entire process seamless and stress-free, utilize CauseVox’s comprehensive  downloadable fundraising guide to take the guesswork out of your planning and executing your fall festival fundraiser. 

As always, be sure to share how your supporters’ involvement furthers your organization’s mission, reminding them that their bobbing for apples isn’t just for a prize, it’s for a purpose!  

Download your Complete Guide to Fundraising Events:

If you are interested in learning insights, best practices, and seeing real-world examples to inspire and guide your AI implementation journey in an ethical manner, this webinar is for you!

In this 60-minute live webinar, you’ll learn:

• Incorporating AI ethically into your business operations 
• Leveraging AI to enhance product marketing strategies and customer experiences 
• Using AI for competitor analysis and identifying strategic opportunities

You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to implement ethical AI marketing.

This session will also feature a live Q&A and be recorded for on-demand viewing

What Is A Giving Day?

A Giving Day is a focused and time-limited event dedicated to inspiring generosity. Giving Days bring together individuals, businesses, and organizations to rally support for non-profit causes and amplify their impact. Through a combination of fundraising efforts, community engagement, and storytelling, Giving Days aim to create a surge of donations and raise awareness about the vital work your nonprofit organization is doing. 

Giving Days are so powerful because they invite people from all walks of life to participate in the collective act of giving by even contributing small donations.They empower individuals to become agents of change through crowdfunding, irrespective of their financial capacity. The cumulative effect of these seemingly small contributions can be transformative, creating a wave of generosity that elevates nonprofit organizations and brings about tangible change where it is most needed.

Giving Days not only generate financial support but also help build long-lasting relationships between organizations and their supporters, fostering a sense of trust and commitment to their causes.

The Benefits Of Giving Days

Giving days offer several notable advantages for nonprofits and the communities they serve by attracting donors, raising awareness and encouraging action. 

Attracting Donors 

Giving Days create a sense of urgency and excitement around your organization’s cause and can attract both new and existing donors who are motivated to contribute during this specific period. The concentrated effort can lead to a significant increase in fundraising outcomes, allowing organizations to meet financial targets, fund crucial projects, and expand their impact.

Raising Awareness

Giving Days help raise awareness and visibility for non-profit organizations. These events provide a platform to share your organization’s mission, stories of impact, and the challenges you seek to address. Through targeted marketing and community engagement strategies, Giving Days reach a broader audience and introduce new individuals and potential supporters to the organization’s work. The increased visibility not only leads to more donations but also opens doors for partnerships, volunteer engagement, and long-term support.

Encouraging Action

Giving Days foster a sense of community and collective action. They bring people together around a shared cause, creating a sense of unity and purpose. Donors, fundraisers, volunteers, and organizations collaborate and engage in a collective act of giving, inspiring others to participate and make a difference. This effort builds a strong sense of camaraderie and fosters a culture of philanthropy and social responsibility.  

How To Host A Giving Day

There are a few steps needed to host a successful Giving Day. Following these tips will ensure your nonprofit has a well thought out funding strategy and will get your audience prepped and excited to support your cause. Here are six key steps to think through in order to execute on Giving Day:

1. Pick A Date
2. Set Clear Goals
3. Plan The Campaign 
4. Spread The Word
5. Leverage Technology
6. Follow Up

1. Pick A Date

When choosing a day for your nonprofit’s event we recommend choosing one with relevance or significance for your cause. This could be something like Earth Day for an environmental organization or an anniversary for your nonprofit. Avoid holidays or events that may have people preoccupied and thus less likely to be engaged. 

2. Set Clear Goals 

It is important to define your fundraising target, donor engagement goals and impact-oriented objectives. As the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” It can be scary to set big goals, so aim for targets that are ambitious yet attainable. Push your organization outside its comfort zone but be realistic about your financial needs and the potential generosity of donors. 

With this, set a goal for the number of donors you hope to engage and retain from Giving Day.  Use measurable targets to track growth of your donor base and the level of engagement achieved. Finally, outline the desired impact of the Giving Day. Is it to raise enough money to fund a specific project? Drive awareness around an issue? Expand your program? Set goals that align with your organization’s mission and communicate the tangible outcomes you aim to achieve with the funds raised. 

3. Plan The Giving Day Campaign

Consider how you will reach your donors and drive new donations. Start by developing a compelling narrative. The power of story can never be underestimated! Share highlights and impact from your organization’s work and the necessity of your donors participation. Craft marketing materials to share and create hype around your Giving Day. Set up your online donation platform to have one central home for your campaign; make it easy for people to share, easy for them to give, and ultimately reach your goals! 

St. Mark’s High School used CauseVox’s platform for their Day of Giving. Kristen Sullivan says of the experience: “it helps us display our Giving Day proceeds to our constituents in real time in a clean and clear way. It is an affordable option for our school.”

4. Spread The Word

Once you have your narrative and marketing materials down, it is important to create a comprehensive strategy to share your organization’s story. You can leverage social media platforms by sharing engaging content, impact stories and calls to action. Encourage your supporters to share posts and tag their network to amplify reach. You can also engage with influencers or ambassadors to share your Giving Day and expand your reach or tap into new audiences. You cannot over-promote a Giving Day! Share often and share wide.

HALOS uses an impact story to remind people their Giving Day is coming with a link to the page to donate. 

This is also a great chance to use the power of email marketing to craft a campaign where you can share compelling reasons to participate and include clear instructions on how to donate or get involved leading up to Giving Day. On the start of Giving Day, send an email letting your supporters know it is go time!

5. Leverage Technology

CauseVox has many tools at your disposal to create a captivating, seamless and hassle free Giving Day. Crafting a donation page that makes it easy to give is essential for the success of your Giving Day, as most donations will be given online. You can provide various payment methods to cater to different donor preferences. Using social media integrations to easily share your donation page is a great way to spread the word and mobilize people outside your immediate network.

This is a great time to utilize peer-to-peer fundraising. CauseVox offers robust peer-to-peer fundraising functionality, which empowers supporters to create their own fundraising pages and rally their networks for donations. Encourage your donors to become fundraisers by sharing their personal stories and leveraging their social connections. This amplifies the reach and impact of your Giving Day campaign.

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaign for a Giving Day

Work smarter, not harder by leveraging our built-in communication tools. CauseVox provides tools such as email templates, automated thank-you messages, and progress updates. Utilize these features to regularly communicate with donors, fundraisers, and participants throughout the Giving Day- providing them with updates, expressing gratitude, and keeping them engaged.

The beauty of CauseVox’s donation platform is that you can access data and analytics easily. Use the comprehensive information on donor behavior, fundraising progress, and campaign performance to provide insights into your Giving Day’s success. This will help your organization identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your fundraising efforts in the future.

6. Follow Up

As always, it is crucial to follow up with donors to continue fostering both old and new relationships. Start by expressing gratitude, no matter how many times a person has given. After all the hard work and excitement of your Giving Day be sure to send personalized thank-you messages to all donors, fundraisers, and participants who contributed. Showing sincere appreciation for their support and highlighting the impact their contributions made will help them feel valued. It will also make them more likely to donate again in the future! 

It is helpful to keep supporters informed about how their donations are making a difference even after Giving Day. Send emails to the donors to provide updates on the progress of projects or initiatives that were funded through the Giving Day. Share success stories, testimonials, and images to illustrate the impact of their generosity.

Finally, continue to foster ongoing relationships with your donors. Use the momentum generated by the Giving Day to cultivate long-term partnerships with donors. Regularly communicate with them through newsletters, emails, and social media to keep them engaged with your organization’s work, upcoming events, and future opportunities to support your cause.

Hosting Your Giving Day With CauseVox

CauseVox’s platform provides a seamless and feature-rich solution for hosting impactful Giving Days. With customizable campaign pages, peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities, and robust communication tools, you can engage donors effectively and optimize your fundraising efforts.

We know that you are busy doing the hard work of creating change in this world, so that is why we have made it easy and efficient to host your Giving Day. That way, you can spend more time doing what matters most: serving your people! 

Book a demo to take a tour of our platform today.

Want more educational content like this? Get fundraising tips from CauseVox straight to your inbox every week. 

…did you raise your hand? 

We hope you did, but we get it if you didn’t. Let’s be real, events take a lot of work. Without a solid strategy in place, it might end up costing you more time and money than what you actually raise.

That’s why we’ve curated these tips and best practices just for you. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive guide that’ll help you crush your next event, making it both fun and effective.

In this guide, you’ll discover:

• The benefits of hosting a nonprofit fundraising event 
• A step-by-step guide to planning like a pro (so you don’t miss any details)
• Different types of fundraising events + ideas to get you started
• Ticketing strategies to maximize attendance
• Leveraging silent auctions for boosted fundraising
• Attracting sponsors to enhance your event’s impact
• Logistics made easy: from venue selection to smooth execution
• Creating a perfect event timeline to stay on track
• How to measure and evaluate your event’s success

Ready to host an unforgettable event that makes a real impact? Download our guide for nonprofit fundraising events today! We guarantee it will revolutionize your fundraising efforts.

View and download the guide for free: