Fundraising Best Practices

Help make your fundraiser a success with these best practices:

Make it as easy as possible for supporters to make a purchase or donate. Leverage online fundraising options.
Set a clear goal with a meaningful purpose. People like to know what they’re supporting.
Limit the need for cash. Shoppers spend up to 4x more when they can pay with a card. Cash can also be miscounted, lost, or stolen. Try to fundraise with a product where supporters can pay online directly, or use a third-party payment system to take non-cash payments. Be wary of sites charging extra fees to process these though!
Promote your fundraiser as widely as possible. Use social media and even printed posters or cards to spread the word about your fundraiser. This is easier if you can point supporters to a unique website.
Know your audience. Consider what your supporters already purchase or enjoy when deciding on a product or cause.

Fundraising for Schools

Whether you’re fundraising for a primary, middle, or high school, keep these things in mind:

Get the administration, faculty, students, and Parent Involvement Committee on the same page. If students and parents are responsible for helping to sell a product, they should be enthusiastic about it!
Avoid door-to-door selling. Most schools do not sanction students selling to strangers. Online fundraisers that students and parents can promote through various channels will be better received.
It will be easier for everyone if students don’t have to handle cash. Especially if “new math” is involved.
Wherever possible, try to coordinate fundraising for the schools within an area or board. If everyone is selling the same chocolate a couple weeks apart, the third or fourth school to try may not have as much success.
Align school fundraising with existing events to minimize effort for supporters. For example, make your donut fundraiser pick-up date the same night as the school dance, since parents will already be dropping kids off.

If your fundraising is centred around a particular charity or nonprofit, there may be opportunities in these areas:

Make sure the purpose of both your organization and the fundraiser are clear. There are many demands on people’s funds, and they will be less likely to donate if the cause feels generic or vague.
Tell a compelling story using real-world examples and testimonials. Even if they’re anonymized to protect your recipients, give supporters a logical connection between their donation and how they are making a difference.
Show how fundraising purchases create a desirable result. For example, a food bank might demonstrate that every box of donuts sold equals three hot meals for someone facing food insecurity.
Avoid door-to-door selling. People are skeptical of causes canvassing door-to-door. Leverage online fundraising platforms wherever possible.

Sports teams, leagues, and social clubs can sometimes have a harder time fundraising than nonprofits, but these tips may help:

Be clear about why fundraising is necessary. Many people believe sports teams and clubs should be entirely funded by participation fees, so you’ll need to educate people on the expenses and challenges you face.
Cast a wide net. Just because you’re fundraising for a hockey team, doesn’t mean only your “hockey friends” will support it. Especially if you’re selling a product that has wide appeal!
Coordinate with other local teams, the league, or associated clubs, particularly if there’s a shared schedule. Make your fundraiser pick-up day the same as a big tournament or club information night, when the majority of your supporters will already be on location.
Check out any resources offered by your league or club sponsors. Many university teams and clubs can access campus advertising and space for free. Leagues and sponsor businesses may help promote online fundraising on their social channels. Leave no stone unturned!

Religious communities are lauded for their community support, so church fundraisers can be very successful when managed well:

Leverage your church’s schedule to make supporting your fundraiser as easy as possible. Align ordering deadlines and pick-up dates with your services and important celebrations. Avoid times when attendance is known to be lower.
Make sure your product or cause is appropriate to your religious community. Food restrictions in particular should be observed.
Show how fundraising purchases equate to a desirable result. For example, a church may need to sell 150 boxes of donuts to fund their winter coat program. You could even show this on a thermometer-style poster to encourage congregants to meet the goal.
Spread word of the fundraiser outside of your religious community. Make it easy to share details in your wider network to encourage further support.