BP’s Personal Fundraising Options Guide

Clients and friends of The Be Perfect Foundation and The Perfect Step,

We put together this package for you as a guide to give you direction down your personal path of fundraising. Unfortunately, the circumstances of our injuries and diagnosis’ puts each and every one of us, including our families, into a financial crisis. These circumstances are never expected, never planned for and it always puts us into a corner scrambling and trying to figure out what to do to try and fund our recovery. The unfortunate reality for many of us is that even if we have insurance our insurance company under-insures us and is not willing to cover the things that we consider “needs”, not even “wants”. This puts us into a downward spiral trying to figure out what to do next. While we are so focused on just taking our next breath or achieving our physical goals, then we are strapped with the responsibility of trying to figure out how to put together fundraisers, apply for grants, or apply for foundational scholarships to put money into our back pockets in order to live our day-to-day lives. This packet was put together for you, to provide you with some sort of template on how to fundraise and where to start fundraising. We understand that this is probably the last thing that you want to think about at these moments in time, but we also understand that for many of us this is necessary to continue to move forward in our recovery and to get the treatment that we need. Please see the attached resources as well as fundraising ideas. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us through The Be Perfect Foundation website (beperfectfoundation.org) to gather more information and to get more guidance on what to do next. Additionally, please inquire with us about another resource guide that we put together that has additional options for “grants and foundations” that you can reach out to, as you try to supplement your monetary needs.

-       Be Perfect Staff

Information about possible dollar amounts that you might need to raise each year pending the amount of times that you come to therapy every month

Based Off of a Therapy Program That Cost $100 Per Hour

Based off of SIX HOURS a week and 12 MONTHS out of the year

6 (hours per week) x 100 ($100 per each hour) x 4.33 (weeks in a month)=

$2600 MONTHLY OR $31000 PER YEAR

Based off of FOUR HOURS a week and 12 MONTHS out of the year

4 (hours per week) x 100 ($100 per each hour) x 4.33 (weeks in a month)=

$1700 MONTHLY OR $21000 PER YEAR

Based off of THREE HOURS a week and 12 MONTHS out of the year

3 (hours per week) x 100 ($100 per each hour) x 4.33 (weeks in a month)=

$1300 MONTHLY OR $15500 PER YEAR

Based off of TWO HOURS a week and 12 MONTHS out of the year

2 (hours per week) x 100 ($100 per each hour) x 4.33 (weeks in a month)=

$900 MONTHLY OR $10500 PER YEAR

Based off of ONE HOUR a week and 12 MONTHS out of the year

1 (hour per week) x 100 ($100 per each hour) x 4.33 (weeks in a month)=

$430 MONTHLY OR $5200 PER YEAR

*Keep in mind that these dollar amounts and figures are on the high end. You may be traveling, or you may have to cancel certain sessions or you might even be sick. This is just meant to give you a general baseline of what you might need to fundraise each year if you showed up to every therapy session that you had scheduled.

Where to Start

1.    Identify your resources/assets and who you would like to be involved

2.    Identify a possible fundraising option (at least a few months out to give you time to plan and orchestrate things together)

3.    Set your goals

4.    Set the fundraiser date

5.    Create a plan of action. Work the plan. Monitor the plan.

6.    Promote your fundraising event with flyers at church, school, and work, etc.

7.    Promote your fundraising event on social media

8.    Coordinate with vendors, volunteers, paid staff

9.    Refine logistics (date, time, program, who, what, where, when, how)

10. Execute the day of the event

11. Celebrate after

12. Have a follow-up meeting after the event to celebrate your victories and learn about the things that you need to be better at the next time you do it 

Fundraising Ideas

• -   Aerobathon

• -   Adventure Day

• -   Apprentice Day

• -   Afternoon Tea

• -   Art Exhibition

• -   Auction

• -   Bad Taste Party

• -   Bag Packing

• -   Bake-Off

• -   Barbecues

• -   Barn Dance

• -   Beard Shaving

• -   Beauty Night

• -   Bingo

• -   Bike Ride

• -   Bonfire

• -   Book Sale

• -   Bowling Event

• -   Bring and Buy Sale

• -   Cake Sale

• -   Car Washing

• -   Carol Singing

• -   Casino Night

• -   Cheese and Wine Night

• -   Holiday Card Giftgiving Ask

• -   Christmas Fair

• -   Christmas Cards

• -   Clay Pigeon Shooting Competition

• -   Fundraisers at Local Restaurants or Coffee Shops

• -   Comedy Night

• -   Cooking Competition

• -   Craft Fair

• -   Cycle to Work Fundraiser

• -   Dance Off

• -   Backyard Game Competition

• -   Disco Party

• -   Dog Walk

• -   Duck Races

• -   Easter Egg Hunt

• -   Ebay Your Items

• -   80s Night

• -   Face Painting Party

• -   Fashion Show

• -   Gala

• -   Festival

• -   Movie Night

• -   Fishing Competition

• -   Fright Night

• -       Fun Run

• -       Garage Sale

• -       Garden Party

• -       Golf Tournament

• -       Halloween Party

• -       24 hour challenge (get a group together to tag team a challenge)

• -       selling event or concert tickets (raffle style)

• -       50-50 raffle (sell raffle tickets and offer half of the proceeds raised as the prize)

• -       Car Auction

• -       Bag It Up (if you work in a shop, ask if the 5cent bag charge can be donated to you)

• -       Battle of The Bands

• -       City to Summit (run – cycle – run from your local city to a destination)

• -       Collection Tins (place giving buckets in your local shops)

• -       Dinner Party

• -       Facebook Auction (ask local businesses to donate vouchers and other goodies)

• -       Give It Up (get sponsored to give up something you love for a month)

• -       Matching Funding (many workplaces offered to match any charity funds raised by their staff)

• -       Office Olympics (race down the hallway in an office chair… The list is endless)

• -       Quiz Night (host a quiz at your local pub and charge a team entry fee)

• -       The Mighty Deerstalker (take on this challenge to run through rivers, forests, over a mountain or two; all in the pitch dark of a chilly night)

• -       Tough Mudder (getting muddy has never been so fun)

• -       Zumba-thon

• -       Bungee Jump

• -       Football Tournament

• -       Horse Racing Night

• -       Ironing Service

• -       Jazz Evening

• -       Karaoke Night

• -       Keep Fit-A-Thon

• -       Ladies Night

• -       Marathon

• -       Mini Olympics

• -       New Year’s Eve Party

• -       Office Sweepstake

• -       Recycling

• -       Scavenger Hunt

• -       Talent Show

• -       Unwanted Gifts Sale

• -       University Challenge

• -       Vehicle Rally

• -       Christmas Carol Singing

• -       Adopt a Barrel or Planter

• -       Antique Show

• -       Book Fair

• -       Bottle Drive

• -       Calendar Sales

• -       Candy Sale

• -       Circus/Carnival

• Dunk Tank

• Holiday Gift Baskets

• Ice Cream Social

• Mailing/Appeals

• Memorial Bricks/Pavers

• Escape Rooms

• Mystery Dinner Theaters

• Newsletters

• Pancake Breakfast

• Penny Collection

• Postcard Sales

• Telethon

• Custom T-Shirt Sales

• Winetasting

• Crowdfunding

• Apparel/Clothing Sales

• Silent Auction

• Monthly Giving

• Discount Cards

• Dueling Pianos

• Sporting Events

• Krispy Kreme

• Bracelets

• Triathlons

• A Day in a Wheelchair

• Wheelchair Sports Event

• Open Air Concert

• Raft Race

• Teddy Bears Picnic

• Breakfast Delivery

• World Record Attempt

• Yes Day

• Skills Auction

• Give up a Luxury Item

• Online Games Tournament

• Knitting

• Poker Night

• Pub Crawl

• Bus Pull

• Dance

• Eating Competition

• Do a Dare

• Ice Bucket Challenge

• Log Throw

• Night Walk

• No Swearing

• Pledge

• Quit a Habit

• Be a Vegetarian/Vegan for a Month

• Indoor Spin-A-Thon

• Pasta Party

• Group Bike Ride

• March Madness Bracket Pool

• Crossfit Fundraiser

• Date Night Fundraiser

• Crockpot Cookoff

• Bad Tie Day

• Balloon Race

• Balloon Rides

• Skate-Athon

• Beer Festival

• Boat Race

• Car Boot Sale

• Concert

• Classic Car Show

• Cookery Demo

• Crossword Contest

• Fireworks Booth

• Furniture Sale

• Game Show Night

• Go-Cart Grand Prix

• Line Dancing

• Mid-Evil Evening

• New Year’s Resolutions

• Picture Framing

• Plant A Tree

• Puppet Show

• Block Parties

• Water Sports

• Karate

• Horseshoes tournament

Online Personal Fundraising Platforms

Here are some very credible online personal fundraising platforms for you to consider

1. Fundly – Top Crowdfunding Platform for All Causes

Overview

Fundly’s crowdfunding platform emphasizes visual storytelling, mainly through videos. Users can also create interactive slideshows on the front page of their fundraising page.

Fundly’s platform has a blog-like feel to it, and they even have a mobile app that allows fundraisers to post updates, photos, and videos on-the-go.

There is no minimum amount to raise in order to keep your funds, and it only takes 24-48 hours to receive these funds.

Why We Love It

Fundly is the leader in crowdfunding! With incredible features that can help you design your crowdfunding page, extensive options to reach out to your friends and family, great support, and affordable fees, Fundly is our first choice for crowdfunding software!

Pricing

Fundly charges a 4.9% platform fee plus a credit card processing fee of 2.9% + $.30 per transaction.

2. Edco – Top Crowdfunding Platform for Schools

Overview

Edco’s crowdfunding platform is the perfect crowdfunding platform to raise money for a school organization or team.  With Edco’s crowdfunding pages, you can establish a school organization or team quickly and easily, then add members to your team.

You may choose to add to your team such as teachers, students, faculty, and anyone else invested in your fundraiser. With Edco, you can encourage your donors to add a message to their donation attributing it to one of the people on your team.

You can share your campaign on email and social media without ever leaving the Edco site with their integrated software!

Why We Love It

Edco makes sure the funds you raise are available when you need them. They process the payments and provide donation receipts to your donors. Then Edco sends the money you raised to your organization’s 501(c)3 account, as a check, or as a prepaid debit card. This way, your money is available to you almost instantly. 

Pricing

Edco‘s platform fee is 4.9% with an additional credit card processing fee of 2.9% + $.30 for each transaction.

3. Kickstarter – Top Crowdfunding Platform for Creative Causes

Overview

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform for creative fundraisers who want to raise money for an art project, music initiative, or just a creative idea!

Kickstarter has three rules for its fundraisers:

1. Projects must create something that can be shared with others.

2. Projects must be clearly presented and honest.

3. Projects can’t fundraise for charity, offer monetary incentives, or involve illegal items.

Why We Love It

Kickstarter is crazy easy to use. Fundraisers can set up a crowdfunding campaign in minutes and start raising money quickly!

Pricing

If your Kickstarter project is successfully funded, Kickstarter will collect a 5% fee from your funding total. They also charge a payment processing fee of 3% + $.20 per pledge. If funding isn’t successful, there are no fees.

4. Crowdfunder – Top Crowdfunding Platform for Businesses

Overview

Crowdfunder helps startups raise money through venture capitalists and angel investors. To get started, companies simply build out a Personal and a Deal profile.

You’ll need 3 documents to launch your Deal with Crowdfunder: a term sheet, an executive summary, and an investor pitch deck.

Companies can raise money from Accredited Investors thorough Equity, Debt, Convertible Note, or Revenue Share.

Why We Love It

Crowdfunder is hyper-focused on the world of startups and offers new businesses the chance to get their company in front of a qualified audience of potential investors.

Pricing

Crowdfunder’s most popular subscription package, the “Self Start,” costs $499 a month and gives companies access to 13,000+ accredited investors. It’s designed for founders and fundraisers who are ready with defined deals.

5. Fundly Pro – Top Crowdfunding Platform for Nonprofits

Overview

Fundly Pro is Fundly’s crowdfunding platform that caters to all non-profits. With Fundly Pro, nonprofits can design a visually stunning crowdfunding page that is shareable via social media and email.

For an added fee, Fundly offers its “VIP Campaigns.” With a VIP Campaign, nonprofits work directly with Fundly to train staff, set goals, and improve retention. 

Fundly Pro’s team offers onboarding webinars, phone and email support, marketing and fundraising solutions, and goal-setting analysis.

Why We Love It

Fundly Pro lets nonprofits turn their crowdfunding campaign into a peer-to-peer fundraiser, which both engages supporters and helps grow the nonprofit’s network.

Pricing

Fundly Pro’s platform fee is 4.9%, plus a credit card processing fee of 2.9% + $.30 per transaction.

Costs for the VIP campaign are from $1,200 to $2,000.

6. Bonfire – Top Crowdfunding Platform for Selling Merchandise

Overview

Bonfire’s crowdfunding platform helps you raise more money by selling merchandise. Fundraisers can design their very own t-shirts.

Bonfire’s item catalog includes tank tops, sweatshirts, and t-shirts of all styles, fits, and colors. If the crowdfunding campaign is anchored by a walkathon, you can sell shirts before the event or at the event to raise money and count that revenue as part of your fundraising goal.

Plus, you don’t have to be a graphic designer to sell aesthetically pleasing apparel! With Bonfire’s extensive library, you can select a pre-made design or upload one of your own!

Why We Love It

Bonfire makes your campaign easy to share! With Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest sharing buttons, you can spread the word and invite your supporters to do the same.

Pricing

Bonfire’s platform is free to use! You’ll simply pay a base fee that covers the manufacturing of your apparel and a shipping fee of $5 to orders in the U.S. If you choose to enable additional donations at the time of checkout, Bonfire will charge an 8% fee to cover credit card and administrative expenses.

Other Crowdfunding Platforms

#7: DoJiggy Pledge

Overview

DoJiggy is a nonprofit fundraising software provider with the slogan, “Easy. Affordable. Effective.” Their crowdfunding platform, DoJiggy pledge, aims to do just that.

The software offers a complete management experience and is compatible with all platforms — desktop, tablets, and mobile.

Platform’s Specialty

DoJiggy Pledge is a crowdfunding platform for nonprofits and schools.

Pricing

The schools and nonprofits that use DoJiggy’s crowdfunding platform pay $499 for 100 pages and get the benefit of zero transaction fees.

#8: Deposit a Gift

Overview

Deposit a Gift started as a cash gift registry a few years ago, but has since morphed into a crowdfunding platform.

Deposit a Gift’s platform has multiple backgrounds, fonts, colors, and more to give your campaign a personalized look and feel.

Platform’s Specialty

Deposit a Gift is a crowdfunding platform for all causes.

Pricing

Deposit a Gift charges a 4% platform fee and a 3.5% credit card transaction fee.

#9: GoFundMe

Overview

GoFundMe is probably one of the most well-known crowdfunding platforms out there.

They notify fundraisers each time someone contributes to their campaign, making it easy to keep track of donations.

They also provide 5-minute email support for those who need it.

Platform’s Specialty

GoFundMe is designed to work for all causes.

Pricing

GoFundMe charges a 5% platform fee plus a credit card processing fee of 2.9% + $.30 per transaction (in the U.S. and Canada).

#10: Indiegogo

Overview

Indiegogo is an all-in-one launch platform. They help entrepreneurs prepare, crowdfund, and sell their products and services to a broader marketplace.

Indiegogo allows individuals to set up a “Coming Soon” page to generate buzz around their ideas before they’re ready to crowdfund.

Platform’s Specialty

IndieGogo is best when used for tech and creative projects.

Pricing

Indiegogo’s platform fee is 5%. Depending on your payment method (credit card or PayPal), fees can range from 3% + $.30 to 3-5% respectively.

#11: WeMakeIt

Overview

On WeMakeIt’s platform, users can design products, develop apps, publish books, fund start-ups, and more.

Crowdfunding campaigns can be created in up to four languages, making it easy for creators to reach international audiences.

Platform’s Specialty

The WeMakeIt platform is focused on serving tech and creative projects.

Pricing

WeMakeIt takes 10% of the total funds raised (a 6% platform fee and a 4% processing fee).

#12: Experiment

Overview

Anyone is open to start a crowdfunding campaign on their platform as long as the results of their experiment can be shared openly.

Before a campaign goes public, the Experiment team reviews it, provides feedback, and determines if it’s a right fit for the website.

Platform’s Specialty

Experiment provides crowdfunding services for science and education causes.

Pricing

It’s free to start your campaign, but if your project is fully funded, you’ll pay a 5% platform fee plus payment processing costs.

#13: DonorsChoose

Overview

With DonorsChoose, teachers and public schools can create a campaign to raise money for educational supplies, sports equipment, and other materials.

Instead of receiving the funds, DonorsChoose will purchase the items and send them directly to the classroom.

Platform’s Specialty

The DonorsChoose platform is geared toward education-related causes.

Pricing

If you’re interested in creating a campaign on DonorsChoose, the cost of shipping, sales tax, labor ($30), and credit card processing (2% per transaction) will be deducted from the total funds raised.

#14: FundRazr

Overview

FundRazr comes with social integrations, room to upload images and videos, and a dedicated support team.

Campaign creators also have the option to add incentives like products or tickets to inspire more support for your cause, project, or event.

Platform’s Specialty

FundRazr is best used to help raise money to cover the costs of life events.

Pricing

To create a crowdfunding campaign, fundraisers have to pay a 5% platform fee plus 2.9% + $.30 per transaction that will go to a third-party payment processor.

#15: RallyMe

Overview

RallyMe helps athletes and sports teams raise money for different initiatives. They support campaigns in the U.S. and 15 other countries.

Fundraisers can receive funds in real-time, which means that athletes and teams don’t have to wait for their goal to be reached before they have access to the money they’ve raised.

Platform’s Specialty

RallyMe is a crowdfunding website for athletes and sports teams.

Pricing

RallyMe charges a 5% fee in addition to a 2.9% +$.30 credit card processing fee.

#16: StartSomeGood

Overview

Exclusively for social change initiatives, StartSomeGood is an all-or-nothing crowdfunding website for philanthropists.

The platform includes hands-on, customized support and team members offer feedback and advice to help your campaign succeed.

Platform’s Specialty

StartSomeGood’s focus is on fundraising for philanthropic causes.

Pricing

StartSomeGood charges 5% of the total funds raised as a service fee.

#17 Snap! Raise

• What is Snap! Raise?

Snap! Raise is the easiest, safest, and most effective way to fundraise for groups, teams, and clubs. Since launching its first campaign in 2014, Snap! Raise has facilitated over $200 million in donations from programs elementary school through high school nationwide, from athletics, to the arts, to STEM, to college readiness. It is the mission of Snap! Raise to provide a seamless, data-driven process that helps programs meet their fundraising needs, saving time, energy, and resources for kids, group leaders, and supporters.

• Why choose Snap! Raise?

Snap! Raise offers groups and teams across the nation an innovative alternative to traditional fundraising so they can reach more potential supporters in less time and raise the money they need to provide exceptional extracurricular opportunities. Snap! Raise has refined and perfected its group fundraising process through over 40,000 fundraising campaigns with programs large and small, from elementary school through high school. Through its easy-to-use online platform, Snap! Raise achieves meaningful fundraising results while dramatically reducing the time and energy required of everyone involved.

• How does Snap! Raise work?

With personal onboarding and technical support from a Snap! Raise Campaign Director, fundraiser participants and supporters utilize our online social donation platform to send out donation requests via email, social media, and SMS. Snap! Raise's streamlined interface and integration with social media connects your program to a larger participating audience, and our user-friendly online portal makes it easy to process donations and track the progress of each campaign. Snap! Raise allows participants to send emails to prospective supporters throughout the campaign to initiate additional interest. Most importantly, with Snap! Raise, supporters have the freedom to securely pay for donations with their credit or debit cards.

• What does it cost to start a fundraiser?

There is no upfront cost or monthly fee to use Snap! Raise, or any need to pay for anything out of pocket in order to start a fundraiser. We charge a percentage fee of the overall funds raised, which is paid only when the fundraiser has concluded.

#18 Mightycause

Lift up a Friend, Family or even yourself. Start a Free Personal Fundraiser today.

The concept of lending a hand is probably as old as money, because no one can prepare for every expense. So, in tighter times, or when inspiration strikes, try a little help from your friends. You've seen successful campaigns on GoFundMe and other online fundraising sites like Mightycause which make it easy to raise money to help you through a tough time, or help someone in need. So how does GoFundMe work as well as other similar sites like Mightycause? Launch a free fundraising website today and share it to your social networks to catch a break from life’s surprises or fund an exciting new personal goal. Whatever you’re doing and wherever you’re going, you can get a boost with a personal fundraising page.

No one likes to see a close friend, family member or loved one going through a difficult time. While you often don't have control over making your loved-one healthy again, or helping them get their job back, you can take action to help reduce their burden and make their challenging time a bit more manageable. With Mightycause, you can start a donation site and manage donations and fundraising events to help cover their expense, whether it be the cost of monthly rent, or raising funds for unexpected personal costs that they can no longer manage on top of their medical bills. So how can you start a fundraiser, you ask? You can create the fundraiser and take on the role of spreading the word and bringing in funds, and funds can be deposited right into the account of your loved-one. Mightycause's features will make it easy for you to spread the word and thank donors for showing their support. The tips below will ensure you know how to set up a personal fundraising page.

Why Start a Free Personal Fundraising Website on Mightycause?

• No upfront costs

• No Goal Requirements, keep all the funds you raise

• Amazing Customer Su wanted to donate to and I have taken a quick video of mepport: By phone, email and instant chat

• Fundraising page with dynamic storytelling tools

• Easy Access to Track who’s supporting your campaign

• Awesome Social Media integrations to make sharing easy!

• Interactive Liking and Commenting experience to easily engage supporters

• Easy payment set-up to accept funds via direct deposit to your bank account

How It Works

1-    Launch It

Build and launch your fundraiser in a matter of minutes. Use your profile to show supporters who you are. Tell a story, add pictures, be you.

2-    Share It

Share your fundraiser everywhere. Use Facebook, Email, Twitter, and more to spread the word. Ask friends and family to do the same!

3-    Keep It Up

Stay engaged and bring it home. Post frequent updates, keep sharing, and leave comments and thank-yous for your donors. Enjoy success.

What can I raise money for?

Anything you want! Just start a fundraiser and choose a category to get started! You can start a fundraiser for yourself, or raise funds for a family or friend in need.

How do I raise money?

Start your campaign, and then share your fundraiser far and wide. We make it incredibly easy to spread the word through social media and email, and we give your supporters tools to help make your fundraiser go viral!

Does it work? Is it safe?

Yes! We’ve been a leader in online crowdfunding since 2006, helping everyday people and organizations raise over $500 million. Our site employs powerful technology to ensure all donations are made and received securely.

How much does it cost?

Creating your fundraiser is free, and so are our page tools and sharing capabilities. All the money you raise goes straight to you. The only fees you'll see are the inevitable credit card processing fees of 2.9% + 30¢ that are charged by wePay, our payment processor. Donors are also given the opportunity to provide a tip to Mightycause.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should we ask for donations?

You can (and should!) ask for donations in a variety of ways, including:

• In person;

• Over the phone;

• Through letters;

• With emails;

• Via social media sites;

• On your website and online donation form;

• At events;

• And more!

Annual funds are crucial for fundraising success for a few reasons:

1. They establish regular giving habits for your donors.

2. They provide regular revenue for your organization.

3. Your database becomes more robust.

4. They encourage donors to increase their contributions each year.

5. They boost both acquisition and retention.

How can we promote our online donation page?

There is no shortage of ways to get the word out about your online donation form.

Some traditional ways include:

• Promoting it on your “Ways to Give” page on your website;

• Incorporating info about your donation form in your emails;

• Including a link in your social media posts;

• Mentioning your online donation page at fundraising events;

• Including the URL in your direct mail materials;

• Mentioning your online donation form during your in-person meetings;

• And more!

Getting the word out about your donation page should only come after you’ve created an awesome donation page.

Is it safe to give online?

Absolutely!

Many online donation forms (including Qgiv’s) maintain strict PCI compliance. This means that they follow Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) and keep your data secure and safe.

Most donation forms will include security logos on their donation form to ensure donors that their personal information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Online giving is quickly becoming one of the easiest ways to donate to a nonprofit. Rest assured that your credit card and personal data is safe by giving on a secure donation form that follows PCI standards.

What is peer-to-peer fundraising and how can I participate?

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a way for nonprofits and donors to participate in the fundraising game.

Without going into too much detail, peer-to-peer fundraising usually relies on:

• A nonprofit setting up a general peer-to-peer page through a service like Qgiv’s.

• Donors sharing the page with their social networks.

• Supporters raising money together for a common cause.

There are endless variations of peer-to-peer fundraising that can incorporate prizes, events, competitions, and merchandise.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is for supporters who want to get more involved with the fundraising process and raise money for the nonprofit that they’re passionate about.

What's one of the biggest obstacles preventing someone from giving?

As we all know, every survey that probes why people give and don't give indicates that the main reason for not giving is because they "weren't asked."

To some extent, this may be true. But the average person is asked to give almost on a daily basis. And individuals make a lot of decisions not to give.

So we need to consider other reasons. Maybe people weren't paying attention when they were asked. The timing was bad. It wasn't the right proposition. Money is tight right now. Maybe there wasn't an emotional connection. The list is long.

But there is one critical and overlooked reason, in my opinion. Organizations fail to make giving as easy as possible.

I'm sure everyone reading this has visited a website where they've tried to make a gift or buy a product. And it's frequently painful or overly complicated. It's not uncommon to be asked to provide information you don't want to offer. As a result, many decide to abandon the transaction.

We need to examine every channel we use and discover how to remove any barriers. When we focus on the donor experience, we make it easier for him or her to give—a simple landing page, taking credit card donations at an event, a toll-free number. It all adds up to make a significant difference.

What's the easiest way for donors to give?

That's simple. Monthly giving. When individuals become monthly donors, you don't have to continually solicit them. They'll give you 12 gifts a year—for many years—often for the rest of their lives. I've been on one monthly program for 35 years now. There's no chance I'll ever cancel it. And to date I've made 420 monthly gifts. I've also made many other single gift donations to this organization, as well.

Monthly donors contribute billions of dollars globally—in $10, $25, and $100 amounts each and every month. And because the gift comes in every 30 days, it adds up to be a fabulous amount of money.

Should organizations move all of their fundraising online?

We were conducting a fundraising audit recently and interviewed Claire, a $250,000 donor. She said her one complaint about the organization was that they moved their print newsletter to online.

She loved having the printed version around, so she could show it to people (wealthy friends!) and it reminded her of the cause. Is it worth reviving the print newsletter for just this one donor? I think the answer is yes. Are there more donors exactly like her? Absolutely.

Older donors may book cruises online or use Facebook to connect with their grandchildren, but they are still heavily print oriented. We abandon this medium at our peril.

As we know, older people control the vast amount of wealth in our society. Virtually all really large gifts come from people over 60 and frequently over 70. As a population, these donors are more loyal, more philanthropic, and approaching the age when they'll start leaving legacies. Organizations that focus on their preferences will raise the most money. And print still makes a lot more money than digital.

Last year, online fundraising grew by about 13 percent. This sounds great, but we have to put it into context—going from about 1.8 percent to 2 percent of giving is still pretty small. Moreover, many organizations spent a lot more money and time growing their digital programs.

I'm all in favor of investing in digital when it makes economic sense. But for many if not most organizations, a massive investment shift to this channel will cost them.

What is the initial cost of fundraisers?

A lot of this is subject to what you can possibly get donated to offset any possible expenses. There is going to be incurred cost for a possible venue, catering, and possibly equipment. However, if you are to reach out to these places to see if they are willing to give you a discounted price or donate any of these components, that is going to help offset your expenses drastically. A key component to fundraising is the auction component. We suggest to solicit your local community for auction items rather than going through auction agencies who will take a portion of each item that you sell.

What fundraisers will have more upfront costs?

Certain fundraisers will have more upfront cost than others. A lot of this is subject to how big or all-out you are wanting to make the event, how big the event is going to be in terms of the amount of attendees and the other additional interactive pieces which will require a third-party company to come in to provide these services (video screens, Wi-Fi, valet services, other interactive pieces, etc.). Larger venues or more exclusive venues with more people will have larger upfront cost.

Which fundraisers have the potential to make more money?

Generally, the fundraisers that make the most amount of money are also those that take the most effort to coordinate and put together. We have seen tremendous success from golf tournaments done properly as well as galas done properly as well. However, these events take a lot of manpower and much time to coordinate.

What types of fundraisers require the most time and resources?

See the above question.

What past fundraisers have been most successful?

A lot of this would be determinate upon what you deem to be successful. Is it strength in numbers? Is it a dollar amount made? Is it contacts made? There is a lot of different ways to extrapolate this. The most successful fundraisers are those that keep their expenses down and that have a wide reach to many people who are willing to donate small sums of money. Every dollar counts and you do not want to exhaust your donors year after year with large donations.

How do I advertise for my fundraiser?

1. Create a Facebook page around your event.

2. Create an event on Facebook.

3. Use Hootsuite to set up tweets about your event.

4. Create a Twitter account and share.

5. Create a video and upload it to youtube.

6. Create a fundraising page on justgiving

7. Contact local newspapers and press.

8. Write a press release.

9. Ask a local celebrity to back your event.

10. Posters in local places.

11. Flyers where people are hanging out.

12. Ask to set an information table in your local supermarket.

13. Tell your story.

14. Build a website just for the event.

15. Make it possible for people to book online.

16. Post your event on gumtree.

17. Post your event to eventbrite.

18. Search for local ‘online magazines’ in your area and submit your event.

19. Share all links you have created to all your social media accounts.

20. Put your event in work/company newsletters.

21. Promote on company intranets (ask friends to share also).

22. Do local schools have a newsletter you can submit a piece too?

23. Email your address book. Without being a spammer. Keep them updated of what’s happening.

24. Ask local business owners to take part or perhaps offer their services in return for some free advertising.

25. Keep people posted with everything that is happening around your event: pics, updates, thank you’s.

26. Set up a blog to keep everyone updated on your progress, promote it on social media.

27. Acknowledge people who have signed up whenever you can and wherever you can.

28. Contact local radio and ask them if they would like to interview you or a walker.

29. Give away two free tickets, keep the competition going right up to the event.

30. Ask people to share your information.

31. Ask everyone you know to promote your event.

32. Start even before you have the tickets! Add an email form to your website.

33. Start early. Keep people updated as you go.

34. Don’t rely on one area for promotion.

35. Build a community for your event. Talk to people.

36. Ask people to share your publicity material.

37. Create a few slides and upload to slideshare.

38. Talk about the message and the why … a lot!

39. Be unique and aim to delight and entertain.

40. See everyone as a lifelong supporter. Look after them.

41. Ask volunteer walkers to submit a video, piece of content for your blog. Share it.

42. Join forums promoting your event.

43. Go and speak at local groups and meetings.

44. Link to other charities with a similar message.

45. Always answer questions promptly.

46. Run little mini-competitions before the event. Use gifts from local business owners!

47. Ask people to like, share, tweet, and be thankful when they do.

48. Go and hangout where you think people would like to take part in your walk, leave a few flyers.

49. Add a few give-aways and have fun with volunteer walkers. Get them excited.

50. It’s personal! Be there, communicate, give thanks and include. 

Don’t get discouraged! This is a learning experience! But, make sure to learn from your mistakes.

If you would like access to our complete personal fundraising guide/packet or for additional information about fundraising please contact:

Hal Hargrave

halhargrave@beperfectfoundation.org