The Do’s and Don’ts of Fundraising

Deciding to fundraise is a brave and important commitment. But aside from selecting your cause and receiving donations….what else do you need to know?

Here are a few tips of what you should and should not do while fundraising. Follow these tips to get you off to a great start and ensure that you pull your fundraiser off successfully!

Don’t:

• DON’T be afraid of asking people for contributions – your cause needs them!
• DON’T take no for an answer if a person’s reason for declining is because they don’t think it’s a worthy cause. Instead, take te opportunity to challenge their perceptions.
• DON’T just ask for money – you will need all kinds of contributions from people whether it is their time, goods or money. Be willing to let people help in different ways.
• DON’T get stuck in old ways – regularly re-evaluate your methods and what is and isn’t working.
• DON’T try to fix the whole world in one day – focus on smaller goals and the tangible changes that reaching these goals will bring about.
• DON’T put forward false positivity if things are not going well. Be straight with your contributors if you reach a bump in the road. You never know – this may even further motivate your donors to act!
• DON’T get distracted or tire from the main goal – make the fundraiser your primary focus until the targets you set have been reached.
• DON’T try to do everything on your own. Fundraising takes a lot of work so delegate some tasks to the other committee members, or rope in your friends and family.
• DON’T use a one-size-fits-all approach. Try something…if it doesn’t work, try something else.
• DON’T hesitate to ask the same contributor’s again – people get busy and need reminding. They may also have different circumstances than they did when you asked the first time and may be able to offer something else.
• DON’T forget to consider the costs you will need to cover and incorporate it into your fundraising goals. The last thing you want is for everyone helping out to start feeling out of pocket because they had to cover all the expenses.
• DON’T become greedy about donations – every penny counts.
• DON’T be unrealistic about what your fundraiser can achieve in the time that you have – you have to set targets based on the resources that you have.
• DON’T sit back and wait for the money to come to you…it won’t. You will have to work for it.
• DON’T spam your contributor’s or overwhelm them – they are your biggest asset!

Do:

• DO ask your donors to support your cause. If they don’t know about it, they can’t help.
• DO keep emphasising the positives and the tangible effects that raising this money will have on your cause.
• DO acknowledge and thank each and every contributor for their donation – whether large or small.
• DO keep an open mind as to how people can help – if someone can help in a way that you hadn’t thought of, hear them out.
• DO involve your donors – keep them informed with a newsletter, social media pages or phone calls. Keep donors informed along the way – what progress has been made and what goals are still active.
• DO check that your fundraiser is legal. This might mean checking local by-laws and guidelines before setting your fundraiser in stone.
• DO build your database by keeping accurate records of names and contact information and continuing to build on it.
• DO streamline your approach to fundraising. Ensure that all of your fundraising work is in keeping with the goals and missions of the organisation and is working towards the overall objective.
• DO be specific about donations – tell people how much you need and how they can contribute.
• DO take advantage of the resources you have available, particularly free ones.
• DO utilise social media by opening fundraising pages and spreading the word through social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
• DO put your money where your mouth is. Even those volunteering their time should lead by example by contributing to their cause.
• DO set a specific target so that everyone can see what you are aiming for.
• DO give your donor’s several options for contributing by offering a mailing address for cheques as well as internet banking options and ‘Pay Now’.
• DO remember to have fun!