7 Resources And Tools To Improve Your Fundraising

Knowing how to improve your fundraising results can be difficult. There are a ton of websites and resources out there, and knowing where to start can be overwhelming.

Today we have compiled a starting list for you. These resources and tools will help any organization or nonprofit improve their fundraising and give them the confidence they need for success. Give them a look, and be sure to check out our ultimate guide to better fundraising for more tips and strategies.

4 Resources To Improve Your Fundraising

1) GoFundMe

This website makes it easy to create a specific fundraiser that they  hosted on their website. For organizations just getting started, this can be a great option if they don’t yet have a professional site set up.

Fundraisers on GoFundMe can also come in a variety of categories, including medical, education, nonprofit and emergency. This is a platform that can be effective for organizations with a story, as the “story behind the fundraiser” is a big feature of the website.

2) Patreon

While many people have used this platform to support their favorite artists, it’s also a great website for your fundraiser.  The unique thing about Patreon is that you can set up different tiers for your donors. This makes it easy to link different “rewards” or benefits to higher amounts of donation.

Another benefit of Patreon is that as a nonprofit, you might not even need to pay taxes on your Patreon income. Check out this information page to find out more.

3) Fundraise Up

Fundraise Up is a tool that promises to “generate 2x more revenue with the same fundraising efforts.” It does this by improving every part of the donor experience. This includes everything from the load time of a page to optimized conversion rate of visitors to donors.

If you already have a website set up but need the people that visit it to donate more (or at least more frequently) this is a great solution to consider. 

4) The Fundraising Authority

This is a website dedicated to providing you with “everything you need to build a fundraising machine.” This includes a ton of in-depth articles, guides with solutions to specific problems in the fundraising world and online courses that build up your fundraising skills.

If you don’t yet have the skills to run a successful fundraising campaign )or are simply looking to learn more about the process), consider visiting this site. The amount of information ensures you will always come away with some new insights!

3 Tools To Improve Your Fundraising

Often, the difference between a successful fundraising campaign and one that fails lies in the tools that you use. And for good reason – the right tool properly implemented can make the donation experience much easier for your target audience. With that in mind, here are some of the most important tools you can’t forget to improve your fundraising efforts.

1) A website builder

Let’s face it: you are likely going to get better results running your campaign on your own website then hosting it elsewhere. That’s because your own website gives you a certain look of professionalism. People take you more seriously and are more likely to donate as a result.

Plus, having your own website also brings people into your zone of influence. They can check out your content and read your case studies. Plus, they build a better connection to your organization than they would on somebody else’s website. Consider a software like WordPress (which we use) if you’re ready to get started. 

2) A donor research platform

Understanding who your potential donors are and what they look like is an essential first step in any successful fundraiser. That’s because it takes the guesswork out of your efforts. You aren’t simply assuming what kind of message your donors need to see, what sort of case studies they most connect with, and the platforms that they spend the most time on.

Instead, you understand them deeply and accurately through large amounts of data. This makes it easier to hyper-target your campaigns and raises your odds of success by doing so. If you are ready to get started with a donor research platform, check out iWave, one of the most popular solutions in the industry.

3) An email service provider 

As we point out in our ultimate guide to email marketing, email is an essential component of any marketing initiative, fundraisers included. Compared to platforms like Facebook or Instagram, email is a direct line of communication to your audience. You know they are going to see any email you send (whether they actually open it is a different issue) and your email list is an asset that you truly own.

Compare this to social media, where one simple algorithm change can take away thousands of your followers. If you are serious about creating a successful fundraising campaign, communicating to people about it through email should be one of your top priorities. For two solutions you might try, we recommend either MailChimp or ConvertKit.

Conclusion

Getting started with your fundraising campaigns can feel a bit difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Check out some of the resources and tools above and you are well on your way to success.