Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies.

CAN ANYONE DO A FUNDRAISER?
The great thing about personal fundraising is that anyone can create a fundraising page to raise money for themselves or someone in need. People all over the world are creating fundraising pages to help cover tuition, medical expenses, and so much more.

HOW DOES FUNDRAISING WORK?
Fundraisers must create a strong fundraising message or campaign that appeals to potential donors. Fundraisers organize events and campaigns to raise money and other kinds of donations for an organization. They also may design promotional materials and increase awareness of an organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

WHAT ELSE?
We try to make the use of the platform very easy and straightforward, however if you need clarification on how to use the platform or would like to adapt the service for a specific use case then please contact the team at help @ donate-ng.com

FUNDRAISING TECHNIQUES.
1. PRACTICE GRATITUDE.
Record a short video to tell donors how their giving is making the world a better place. Plan to do this weekly or monthly. When possible, spotlight a tangible example on the success of your campaign.

2. KEEP IN TOUCH.
There are hundreds of new and free tools to help you connect with constituents. This month commit to trying one new platform – Zoom, Marco Polo, and Instagram Live are easy to use and growing in popularity.

3. START AT THE TOP.
Work with your Board Chair to create a matching gift fund to drive urgency with challenges and competitions. Think outside the standard matching gift box and use matching funds to accelerate growth where needed. You could focus on acquiring new donors or increasing the number of recurring donors.

4. FOCUS ON RECURRING GIVING.
If this has been on your list for months, now is the perfect time to launch. Monthly gifts are sustaining thousands of organizations. Monthly giving allows you to spend more time thanking and less time asking. It is also exponentially easier to decline a new request for support than to stop your monthly gift to an organization you already support.

5. COLLABORATE TO RAISE MONEY.
This is an ideal time to host a virtual giving day. Remember, there is strength in numbers. For example, ten grassroots organizations serving people with disabilities could host one virtual giving day instead of each having their own. They would probably raise more, hold a better event and get more attention than doing it alone. Foster a little healthy competition with a Peer-to-Peer Campaign.

6. BE REALISTIC.
Scale back ambitious campaigns, but don’t give up on them. You may have to adjust the goal or increase the length of your “quiet phase” To remain competitive in challenging times you must persevere. Remember your mission and vision are not any less significant today. Be sure to keep campaign donors and volunteers in the loop on any goal adjustments to avoid challenges down the road.

7. AVOID EMERGENCY SOLICITATIONS.
Asking donors to bail you out or save you from impending demise is not an appealing message — who wants to invest in an organization on the brink of collapse? People like to play on a winning team. Let your donors know your organization is ready to help and with their support can reduce the urgent need created by recent economic events.

8. GET SOCIAL.
The vast majority of donors check some form of social media at least once a day. Use this habit to your campaign’s advantage by posting compelling, relevant content to engage your followers, accelerate the conversion to donors and increase support for your mission! Look for opportunities to increase your following by partnering with companies that have 100K+ social media followers. This can be a win/win for businesses looking to support charity organizations working to make a difference in their community!

Above all, try to stay calm. Your mission matters more than ever during a recession, and these tactics and a smart fundraising strategy will keep your crowdfunding afloat.