The Crowdfund Wales Programme is now well underway with 13 organisations receiving support with their digital fundraising appeals and they are working hard to reach their £1750 target to unlock the match funding from Localgiving.
Programme members are benefitting from 1:1 mentoring sessions to ensure their appeals are planned and promoted well and fundraising messages are reaching far and wide through the their networks and beyond. Here is what Small World Theatre said about the programme:
“We have received the right advice for our company so we can engage with the public on a local level as well as giving our supporters who live further afield the opportunity to donate. Localgiving offers marketing support and online tools to help with fundraising. It's been great to meet with Amy on Zoom and chat through ideas. Thank you!”
No time like the present
You might be thinking that now is not a good time to start a fundraising appeal, setting your sights on the summer months when we have hopefully transitioned out of lockdown and are moving into the nicer weather and more outdoor activity – this could be a big mistake!
In the world of online fundraising, December and the build up to Christmas always does well in terms of appeals. People are feeling more generous at this time of year and it is the season synonymous with giving! However, spring is the season of re-birth, hope and anticipation for the year. April is the start of the financial year and when people generally start to get their finances in order, not to mention that at the beginning of the month, people will have just been paid.
At the moment, during the UK-wide lockdown, we are all online a lot more as we are stuck in their houses. Whilst the pandemic has hit many people hard, resulting in higher levels of unemployment and less disposable income for many, for other people general expenditure has decreased and therefore people are happy to give to those in need.
A report published in October 2020 from Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), showed that “between January and June 2020, the public donated a total of £5.4 billion to charity – an increase of £800 million compared to the same period in 2019”.
If you are still determined to hold off until the summer, consider this first - how many other local groups may have the same idea as you? These are your direct competitors who will also be planning their outdoor fundraising events and reaching out to your potential donors at the same time. In addition to this, the potential audience for your fundraising messages may be reduced with people making plans with friends and family in the warm weather; no longer sitting in front of their devices ready to click and give.
According to recent data from Statista, there are 46.6 million daily internet users in the UK. Think about these people being a captive audience right now – these are your potential donors and also the promotors of your fundraising messages!
Winning formula for appeals
So now you have reconsidered the timing of your fundraising campaign, here are some top tips to consider when appealing to the masses and to make it easier for you, they all start with a ‘P’:
Make sure your purpose for fundraising is clear. Convey your passion for the cause and ensure people connect with it. People generally need to feel an empathic connection with their donation so ensure you are clear about what you need money for and how their donation will make a difference
Never underestimate the need to plan. Tying your launch in with a key date in the diary and segmenting off your network into donors, promoters and potential fundraisers all takes time. The more you plan for your appeal, the more it will pay off
Work on your publicity and your press releases. Have you read the local papers lately? They are a bit light on news due to less general activity so now is a great time to get your appeal in the papers. Online versions can have a direct link to your Localgiving donation page too which is an added bonus
Be proactive. You will have good days and bad days when it comes to donations so ensure you are promoting your successes and thanking your donors publicly for their support
Don’t forget to praise yourself on your efforts. You can segment your appeal into key target milestones and this is psychologically beneficial as it breaks down your total into achievable chunks.
If you are a not-for-profit group in Wales and would like to take advantage of the Crowdfund Wales Programme - receiving more advice about your online fundraising and with the offer of £250 match funding when you have reached your target, you can get in touch with me here.