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A healthy, well-managed non-profit organization must ensure that it takes the correct courses of action to oversee its development and the steady growth of its donor base. The ability to retain loyal returning donors is crucial in sustaining non-profits and supporting the charitable activities that they carry out on a regular basis. Read this guide to learn more about tips on the things you can do to try and grow a non-profit in 2022.
Grow a Loyal Donor Base
A non-profit organization needs to have a considerable number of loyal donors, to receive a healthy stream of income donations. Non-profits require money to help them with their operational costs and overheads, and some non-profits are much more expensive to keep afloat than others.
For example, a non-profit that raises money for bone cancer research will need to pay for researchers, buy specialist research equipment, rent or purchase laboratory space, and plenty more. Growing your donor base should mean you are gradually capable of providing help and support as an organization to a far greater number of people.
Try and Get People to Donate on a Regular Basis
One-off donors tend to donate far less money than the amounts that returning donors manage to accumulate over time. So, instead of getting people to donate to your non-profit annually or now and then, try and encourage them to commit to making regular recurring weekly or monthly donations. To find out more, read Givebutter’s article on recurring donations, and go forth knowing what you must do to make this happen within your organization.
Use Online Fundraising Platforms
Crowdfunding and using online platforms are efficient ways of growing non-profits in 2022. These websites come equipped with the latest tools; making donations online is easier and quicker than ever. Do you want to donate to a friend or family member’s fundraising event, but you are unable to attend on the day in-person? No sweat, you can provide them with essential financial support through their online fundraising webpage.
If they have failed to set up an online fundraising page just yet, encourage them to do so. If it appears that many people like yourself may also be unable to attend, they could possibly miss out on a lot of donations as a result. Using online fundraising platforms is beneficial when it comes to growing non-profits in 2022. After all, no charitable organization can rely on goodwill alone, and they also need money to function.
Make the Most of Social Media
Non-profits should use the influence of social media to promote organizations and individuals taking part in fundraising events to support their work. Shares, hashtags, comments, or retweets can be highly effective ways of spreading the word online about fundraising events for your non-profit, no matter how great or small they may be.
Aside from gaining money from donations through using social media sites, you can also use them to raise awareness and pass on your organization’s message. For instance, if you run a breast cancer charity, raise awareness for your organization and its work by encouraging people to put a pink ribbon or your charity logo on their display pictures on their personal social media accounts. Social media can give exposure to important social causes of today.
You can also use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools to determine which social networks are most widely used by your core donor base and thereby which social networks your non-profit should focus posting the majority of its content on. Do you help run a non-profit and find that your posts on Facebook receive a high number of online engagements and interactions? In this case, perhaps it’s a wise idea to use Facebook as your go-to social media site to talk about your organization’s work and inform your online following about the upcoming fundraising events.
Raise Money and Awareness About Your Cause Offline
Although we are now in the internet age and making the most of online platforms is necessary to grow as a non-profit organization today, you can also use offline means to raise money and awareness about your cause. Billboards, informative charity campaign clips during advert breaks, helping people pack their bags in your local store are all original, offline ways you can raise money and awareness for your charity.
If you want to effect real change in society, the best starting place is with the young. To grow your support amongst young people, you may want to try and get your non-profit into schools to hold talks with students about all the valuable work your non-profit does throughout the year. Talking about your non-profit with students should have a positive ripple effect, as they tell their parents all about your non-profit organization’s great work.
Express Your Gratitude
Expressing your gratitude and giving thanks to all your kind donors is essential for non-profits. Your donors must feel appreciated. Use social media, emails, letters, and your website to tell donors how much they mean to your organization. Sending out free paper newsletters and e-newsletters where you discuss updates is a great way to reach out and interact with your generous donors.
Community Spirit is Still Very Much Alive
Ultimately, the more money you can raise, the more people (or animals/natural wildlife) you will be able to help as a direct result. Effectively managed non-profit organizations often benefit from a constant stream of fundraising and donations throughout the year. Even if the rise of the internet in recent years has left you thinking that people are a bit more anti-social and less engaged with their community now, community spirit certainly isn’t dead in America. By reaching out to potential and existing donors, to help support and grow your non-profit, you will quickly learn that people are as benevolent as ever when giving to charity.
These are just a few things you can do to grow as a non-profit in 2022. Remember to keep your brand messaging consistent across all social media platforms, so people are clear about the values they are ‘buying into’ when donating to your non-profit online.
