Whether you are a well-known non-profit or a highly regarded ivy-league college, fundraising is a dubious task. Simply tapping into a focused, well affluent rolodex or connecting via the university’s alumni simply is not enough. With economic barriers commonplace, asking and getting monies for your organization is going to be tough, if not down-right impossible. 

Here are a few quick ideas that may work – offering less barriers, longer shelf-life and definitely measurement for future initiatives. 

You’re Not Alone – Joint Fundraising:   

Joint fundraising can offer many advantages. From more comprehensive, coordinated efforts to increasing organizational credibility, joint fundraising can give funders ‘more bang for the buck’ offering double the value in leads, monies captured and visibility. Joint fundraising should include both online initiatives and event fundraising. 

Reach a Broader Audience – Online Fundraising Auctions: 

With the help of the Internet, online auctions break the barriers of time and geography and allow organizations to reach a broader audience and increase their fundraising potential. Online auctions offer a more reputable and quantifiable value to donors and sponsors. They also dramatically expand the marketing reach for organizations as a whole, creating a greater awareness of the cause and a greater fundraising capability. 

Use Name Recognition – Online Mall: 

The great thing about creating an online mall is that shoppers are actually shopping directly at the site owned by the store of their choice so they know their experience is safe and secure. Big name brands like Target and Nike have fundraising programs that are quite lucrative and offer visitors numerous choices. The online mall can work independently or in unison with other fundraising initiatives. 

Lastly, fundraising requires a well branded web presence – here are a few great examples: 

• Fundraising using celebrity and a great themed-cause: "Make It Right Nola"  
• Fundraising using great online tactics and themed-cause: "Nothing But Nets" 
• Great Non-profit: "Idealist"
• Great University – UW-Madison using great brand for fundraising efforts: Great people.Great place. Fundraising Initiative Built Around Campus’s Top Priorities   

Before starting your fundraising initiative, consider the following valuable resource: 

• Complete listing of Fundraising Books, Periodicals and White Papers located at UW-Madison, WI

Best,

Denice MacDonald

I recently made a contribution to a non-profit web site and was amazed at what 'wasn't happening'. 

Non-profits today are struggling or vying for donation dollars - and the heat is on.  With the economy poised for recession, how do non-profits survive?  Bottomline, as marketers, we can guide charities 'do it right' by:

1. Teaching them to build a creative welcome communication stream - let donors know what's going on and how pledge dollars are helping the organization

2. Optimizing newsletters and track behavior - refine content or news items so that the donor is always 'engaged' post-donation

3. Build a few "proper" reminder emails that communicate and elevate the values of the organization - like anything else 'out of sight, out of mind' - stay connected and relevant

4. Lastly, (as a testament to my online experience), optimize or personalize registration forms and web pages for a better user experience

Great Non-profit web sites built for diverse users and givers:

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/ (simple, sleek design makes it easy for anyone to get immersed in the cause)

http://www.ywcaweekwithoutviolence.org/ (great design that communicates a strong message against violence)

http://www.unicef.org/sowc06/intro.html (great use of music and visuals to guide me through the story and charity needs)