Your nonprofit is always on the lookout for ways to step up your donor engagement and bring in more revenue. You’ve likely hosted a variety of in-person events before, but have you considered taking the entire fundraising process online?

Virtual fundraising is one of the most powerful strategies at nonprofits’ disposal. With virtual fundraising, your nonprofit isn’t bound by geographic barriers, giving you the ability to grow your reach and revenue. Plus, by understanding how to run a virtual event experience, you can easily conduct hybrid events, empowering you to engage two audiences at once.

To realize these benefits and many more, your nonprofit’s team will need to dedicate ample time to planning your virtual fundraising event. After all, it’s important to be intentional about how you will keep supporters engaged and laser-focused on your mission when they’re on a screen. However, with the right tools and strategies, you’ll be well-prepared to design an unforgettable virtual experience that will strengthen donor relationships and boost revenue.

Use these top programming tips to make your next virtual fundraising event the best one yet:

1. Plan early and conduct several test runs
2. Keep your program short and sweet
3. Centralize the virtual event experience
4. Schedule your activities strategically

An effective virtual event will keep current supporters invested in your cause and help new ones see the value in supporting your organization over time. Time to dive in!

1. Plan early and conduct several test runs.

To help supporters feel immersed in your event, you need to leverage a comprehensive online fundraising solution with livestreaming capabilities. Livestreaming allows your attendees to engage with your organization in real time and feel like they’re connected to your community, even if they’re miles apart.

To shape your livestream programming, it’s critical that you plan early and determine exactly what this will look like from a supporter’s perspective. For example, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will your virtual event occur alongside an in-person event? If so, what will your remote supporters see at times when your virtual and in-person activities aren’t in sync?
• Will you play any pre-recorded videos during your livestream? What will these videos show and how will they keep supporters’ attention?
• Will you create breakout rooms or allow supporters to speak in a live chat to create a sense of community?
• What other engagement tactics will you use throughout your livestream?

In addition to considering what you’ll show during your livestream, you also need to make sure you have all your technical bases covered so your program can go off without a hitch. After all, nothing turns off a supporter more than a virtual experience with lags or technical difficulties, which can quickly lead to supporters getting distracted or clicking off your livestream altogether.

Make sure to lead several test runs with your virtual event staff and volunteers. Essentially, this is like a dress rehearsal before the big show! Test your technology and request that your team members practice their various roles. For instance, invite your speakers and presenters to go over their speeches and ask your emcee to run through their script.

This way, you can proactively work out kinks and ensure everything is ready to go on event day. This will make executing and managing your event a much smoother and more positive experience.

2. Keep your program short and sweet.

Keep in mind that donor attention spans are getting shorter online, so it’s better to create a high-quality, short virtual event as opposed to a lengthy one.

While an in-person event might last hours, we recommend your virtual fundraising event last about 45 minutes to 1 hour in length. This means that every minute of your program needs to provide value to donors while simultaneously showing them why your organization is worthy of their support.

For example, let’s say your nonprofit is thinking of hosting a gala fundraiser. While you might invite multiple board members and beneficiaries to give lengthy speeches at an in-person gala, this approach in a virtual setting will quickly bore your audience and risk losing their attention altogether. Instead, you could reserve the first ten minutes of your livestream for opening speeches, then dedicate the rest of the event to online auction bidding and entertainment to keep motivations high and your supporters hooked.

Carefully map out your virtual event’s programming and the allocated time associated with each activity. Then, stick to this agenda as closely as possible to ensure you don’t go over time.

3. Centralize the virtual event experience.

Your nonprofit has plenty of technology options when it comes to hosting your virtual event. However, haphazardly piecing together more than one virtual fundraising tool makes it more difficult for your staff and your donors.

Opt for an all-in-one fundraising platform to streamline the event experience from beginning to end. The right fundraising solution will enable supporters to register, donate, place a bid, and find the link to the live streaming program all in the same central hub. Plus, your team will have everything you need under one roof to maximize your chances of success.

The OneCause guide to fundraising platforms recommends investing in software that allows for:

• Flexible branding and creative campaigns
• Versatile fundraising options, including peer-to-peer and text-to-give
• Social integration to expand your reach
• Gamification tools, like fundraising thermometers and scoreboards, to inspire friendly competition
• Engagement with a multimedia experience
• Ability to curate virtual, hybrid, and in-person donor experiences
• Silent and live auction capabilities that update in real-time
• Donation capability without leaving the livestream

Look for a solution that will empower your organization to easily design, plan, and lead any type of fundraiser so you can drive a higher ROI year over year.

4. Schedule your activities strategically.

Your virtual activities need to appeal to your donors’ interests and maintain their attention to increase your chances of fundraising success. This means strategically engaging supporters during your program is of the utmost importance. Think about how you’ll schedule each of the fundraising activities during your virtual event.

For example, when you’re hosting a virtual auction, be sure to:

• Conduct your paddle raise or live appeals before the main auction. Everyone can participate in a live appeal (but everyone might not plan to bid in your auction), so tackle it first while the energy is at its peak.
• Keep your bidding segments rolling smoothly. Live bidding segments can be extremely exciting, but don’t let them dominate a huge portion of your event. Have your emcee/auctioneer present the items one at a time, track bids, and discuss donors’ impact for a while, but close them out one at a time in the background. This will help prevent the segment from becoming too number-centric and overshadowing your mission moments.
• Take advantage of the last-minute fundraising frenzy. Just as you would at an in-person event, send out a “last call for bids/donations” text message. Sit back and watch your fundraising numbers rise!
• Give viewers something to stay tuned-in for. How will you conclude your event? If you want viewers to stay engaged for the entirety, give them a reason to stick around. Major announcements, raffle drawings, and performances can all be effective ways to wrap up.

It’s equally important to think through how you’ll keep your remote attendees engaged throughout the entire event experience. Luckily, there are plenty of platforms and tools you can leverage to engage supporters throughout  your virtual activities, including:

• Live chat: Most livestream platforms allow you to encourage communication throughout the live stream. Take advantage of these capabilities and connect with your audience in real time with important updates and announcements. You can also empower your supporters to chat with each other and create a feeling of community.
• Social media: Social media isn’t just a powerful pre-event marketing tool! In fact, you can use social media during your event to maximize supporter engagement and participation. For example, you might invite supporters to get together for watch parties and post pictures online with a creative hashtag, or tune into a special behind the scenes live stream on your social channels. NXUnite’s guide to Instagram for nonprofits recommends leveraging in-app features like video stories and polls to drive extra engagement.
• Text messaging: Reach supporters directly via text messaging by sending push notifications throughout the program, sharing outbid notifications if you’re hosting an auction, and reiterating your fund-a-need or live appeal.

If you notice a decline in event engagement, try a variety of different gamification and engagement tactics to regain supporters’ attention. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what resonates with your supporters.

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Unleash your nonprofit’s potential by tapping into the wide world of virtual fundraising. A well-designed virtual fundraising event can help increase your visibility, strengthen connections with new and current supporters, and enable your organization to meet its goals. Best of all, nearly any event can be adapted into a virtual offering with the right plan, so leverage these top tips to create a winning online event that will leave a lasting impression on donors.

The time has come for your nonprofit’s annual fundraising gala. However, you find yourself facing an entire laundry list of planning to get through to ensure that the gala is a success—from securing a venue to lining up the evening’s entertainment.

Fortunately, there’s a way to lessen the load on your nonprofit’s event committee and budget. Why not host your gala in a virtual or hybrid format? According to vFairs’ Future of Virtual Events survey, 77.2% of event professionals, including those at nonprofits and corporations, prefer virtual events because they have higher attendance rates than in-person events.

In this guide, we’ll walk through six essential planning tips for hosting a memorable virtual or hybrid fundraising gala:

1. Understand what makes a virtual or hybrid gala unique.
2. Make your gala programming engaging.
3. Invest in necessary software.
4. Reach out to corporate sponsors.
5. Promote the gala.
6. Nail your follow-up communications.

When you incorporate virtual elements into your fundraising gala, you’ll still be able to leverage all the opportunities of an in-person one, including silent auctions and interesting speakers, to engage your audience members wherever they are. Let’s get started!

1. Understand what makes a virtual or hybrid gala unique.

The first step to hosting an effective virtual or hybrid gala event is to recognize how this type of opportunity is unique from traditional in-person events.

Here are some of the common differences:

• Use of live streaming tools. At your gala, you’ll likely have a speaker to inspire your event attendees to take action for your cause. You wouldn’t want your online audience to miss out on this awesome opportunity! Live streaming these elements of the event helps everyone participate.
• Shorter event duration. While people may plan the majority of their days around your in-person event, the same can’t be said for virtual and hybrid opportunities. Plan for these events to be slightly shorter — between 60 and 90 minutes is ideal.
• Lower event costs. There’s no need to book a venue or a caterer for your online gala. All you need is an online platform, which comes at a much lower rate. While you may still have some in-person costs for hybrid events, your expenses will be lower than a fully in-person event.

Regardless of if you’re hosting a hybrid or online gala, it will still take a few months of planning to create an event that wows your attendees. Be sure to give yourself ample preparation time, especially if you’re less familiar with virtual events.

As you begin marketing your event, emphasize the benefits of online events for your attendees. For example, you might discuss the convenience of bidding for silent auction items online or the comfort of being able to attend the event online from the couch.

2. Make your gala programming engaging.

When you prepare for a virtual or hybrid gala, you first and foremost want to make sure that your attendees are engaged throughout the entire event. Therefore, you need to plan proper programming that will keep them entertained.

Some ways to spice up your next gala programming include:

• Launching a silent auction. Procure items that will inspire friendly competition and start a bidding war among your attendees. Handbid’s guide to silent auction items emphasizes that your items need to align with the interests of your audience to entice them to bid. They should also be items that would be challenging to get anywhere else.

• Incorporating gamification. What’s more entertaining than competition among friends? Gamification allows nonprofits to encourage light rivalry among supporters. For example, you might include a leaderboard featuring those who have made the greatest impact by bidding at your auction. Attendees will chase this type of recognition! Or, you may include a fundraising thermometer, showing how close your nonprofit is to reaching a goal and encouraging attendees to do their part.

• Live streaming entertainment. Entertainment options are plentiful whether you’re hosting an online or hybrid gala. You might incite some laughs with a comedy show for your audience, offering it live in person and streamed over the web. Or, you could provide musical entertainment for guests with a band!

Keep your audience in mind as you choose your gala’s entertainment and programming. Gauge your audience’s interests and plan programming that will fall into those interests. This will serve the dual purpose of driving engagement at your auction and building long-term relationships with your supporters for the future.

3. Invest in necessary software.

Once you’ve determined the type of programming you’ll have as a part of your gala, it’s time to make sure you have the tools necessary to make those plans a reality. Online and hybrid galas will require specialized software with the capabilities necessary for your event to succeed. For your gala, you’ll probably need access to tools such as:

• Registration forms. When you promote your gala, provide links to your registration form to allow your attendees to sign up for your event.
• Live streaming software. If you host a hybrid event, live streaming tools will make your in-person activities available for your at-home audience. If you host a fully virtual event, you’ll need these tools to provide an immersive experience for your online guests.
• Mobile bidding tools. If you’re hosting an auction as a part of your gala, invest in auction software with mobile bidding tools. This will allow in-person guests to bid on your auction from their tables and your virtual audience to easily engage with the auction.
• Donation pages. If an event attendee wants to donate to your cause, why deny them? In fact, you can encourage these additional donations with easy-to-access donation pages built through your organization’s software.

Make a list of all the additional features you’ll need for your organization’s unique event needs. Then, when you enter into conversations with providers, you won’t be distracted by fancy bells and whistles of solutions that may not serve your needs. Always consult your list and make sure you will have everything necessary before investing.

4. Reach out to corporate sponsors.

Corporate sponsors are a game-changing aspect of any fundraising event, including your virtual or hybrid gala. With corporate philanthropy becoming a priority for many companies, it’s an ideal time to tap into their generosity and cultivate impactful partnerships.

When seeking corporate sponsorships for your event, follow these best practices:

• Identify businesses with similar values. When conducting research on potential corporate sponsors, narrow down your list by focusing on the ones with values aligned with your nonprofit. This makes them much more likely to be interested in supporting your fundraising efforts.
• Leverage existing connections. Chances are, your board members already have some relationships with business leaders or other significant contacts in the community. If so, have them reach out directly to these individuals to consider sponsoring your fundraising gala.
• Highlight the benefits of sponsorship. Often, companies choose to get involved with nonprofits to boost their reputation and engage their employees. Encourage potential sponsors to support your upcoming event by emphasizing how you’ll feature them in your programming and display their logos.
• Set sponsorship levels. Corporate sponsorship levels make it easy for companies to contribute toward your fundraising gala at a level that they’re comfortable with. Depending on how much they invest in your event, you’ll offer varying incentives as well.

If handled properly, corporate sponsorships can become long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. Remember to publicly recognize your sponsors for all of their support and specify how they played a role in your gala’s success.

5. Promote the gala.

The next step for an effective gala? Telling people about it, of course! You’ve planned an entertaining evening, so you simply need the guests to attend. When you promote your hybrid or virtual opportunity, be sure to meet your supporters where they are: online.

Create a full-fledged promotion strategy for the gala with these tips:

• Use a multi-channel marketing strategy. A multi-channel strategy will reach your supporters on several platforms, informing them about your gala and encouraging them to attend. Getting Attention’s marketing guide suggests leveraging platforms like email, direct mail, video marketing, social media, your website, and more for promotion.
• Get supporters excited about programming. Market the specific, exciting elements that you’ve planned for your event such as the band you chose to perform or the keynote speaker who will deliver a speech. You might even ask performers if they could also promote the event on your behalf.
• Ask team members to spread the word. Team members, volunteers, board members, and even other supporters can all do their part to promote your event. Ask them to share key pages on social media to get their friends and family excited about the event.

In all of your promotional materials, be sure you provide a link or QR code to make it easy for potential attendees to find your registration page. This makes it more convenient for them to RSVP and let you know they’re coming right away!

6. Nail your follow-up communications.

Whether your gala hosted hundreds of guests or was a small affair, no event is over until you’ve followed up with all of the supporters and guests who worked hard to make your gala a success.

To nail your follow-up communications, consider the following strategies:

• Send personalized thank-you cards to guests. Nothing says thank you like a handwritten or personalized card. Thank all of your guests with a note of thanks that extends beyond an automated appreciation email.
• Set up meetings and phone calls to directly thank major donors. Major donors gave a great deal to your cause, so show them the gratitude they deserve. Set up meetings with them and call them on the phone to thank them for their generous support.
• Don’t forget to show gratitude to your volunteers. In the hustle and bustle of thanking donors, many nonprofits forget about another key group that made the event possible: their volunteers. Reach out to these supporters and thank them for their generous contribution of time.

In these messages, always address the supporter by name to personalize the interaction. Then, directly thank them for their specific gift. These supporters gave to make a difference, so this is a great opportunity to explain the impact they’ll have. Finally, provide the next steps to continue engaging with your cause, whether that be following your organization on social media, checking out your volunteer opportunities, or registering for your next event.

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Providing virtual events for guests is a tried and tested strategy now. Take what you’ve learned over the past few years and strategically build the best possible event that maximizes our return on investment. By using the tips and strategies in this guide, you’ll be well-suited to create one of these incredible events.

As a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare, your cause is noble and important. However, without proper funding, it can be difficult to better the lives of animals in need.

That’s where donors come in. Individuals who are willing and able to give are the key to any nonprofit’s success. But how do you find these donors and convince them to support your specific cause?

In this guide, we’ll explore five strategies for reaching donors who are passionate about animal-related missions like yours. Whether you run an animal shelter, rescue group, or rehabilitation center, these insights will help you secure the funding the animals in your care deserve. Let’s get started!

1. Build an Engaging Online Presence

Having a strong online presence allows you to expand your nonprofit’s reach and attract donors who may not have previously been aware of your work.

To get started, create a digital marketing strategy that includes the following channels:

• Social media: Social media is ideal for sharing heartwarming rescue images, behind-the-scenes videos, and important updates. To increase visibility, NXUnite recommends reaching out to influencers in the space and asking them to share your content with their networks.
• Website: Your nonprofit’s website should have a user-friendly design and provide valuable information about your mission, programs, and impact. It should also feature a designated donation page where visitors can lend their support.
• Email: Use email newsletters to regularly communicate with supporters, sharing updates on rescued animals, success stories, upcoming events, and donation appeals. Use compelling subject lines to stand out from the crowd and improve your open rates.

If your marketing team is spread thin, consider using a tool like Gingr’s pet business software to automate outreach. With their easy-to-use tools, you can spend less time managing menial tasks like personalizing and sending emails, and more time focusing on what matters most: the animals.

2. Cultivate Relationships with Existing Donors

Your existing donors are the backbone of your organization. Show them that their support is valued through:

• Personalized communications: Send personalized thank-you letters or emails that acknowledge their support and provide specific updates on the impact of their donations. For example, you might say, “Thanks in part to your $50 contribution, Maisy the beagle is now wagging her tail again.”
• Donor stewardship events: Organize exclusive events such as donor appreciation dinners, behind-the-scenes tours of your facilities, and special meet-and-greets with rescued animals. These events allow donors to connect with your nonprofit’s mission, staff, and other supporters, fostering a greater sense of belonging.
• Impact reporting: Provide financial reports, progress reports, or impact stories that highlight the tangible outcomes made possible through donations. This demonstrates accountability and builds trust, helping reinforce donors’ belief in your work.

When donors are made to feel involved through efforts like these, they are more likely to continue their support and advocate on your behalf.

3. Host Community-Wide Fundraising Events

If you’re looking to bring people together in support of your cause, consider hosting a community-wide fundraising event. Events are an opportunity to network and showcase your value to businesses, donors, and key stakeholders in the area.

Here are some popular animal-related fundraising events to guide your planning process:

• Bark in the Park: Organize a dog-friendly event at a local park or outdoor space. For a registration fee, donors can participate in fun activities like a dog walkathon, pet costume contest, or agility demonstration.
• Paws for a Cause Gala: Host an elegant fundraising gala that celebrates your organization’s mission. To generate revenue, the event could feature an auction with pet-themed items and live entertainment.
• Pet Adoption Fair: Collaborate with other local animal shelters and rescue organizations to organize a pet adoption fair. Set up booths where attendees can donate and adopt animals in need of a forever home.

Regardless of the event you choose, be sure to thank donors for their support, attendance, and commitment to your cause. Doing so will cultivate meaningful relationships that last long after the event ends.

4. Leverage Corporate Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships are partnerships between a nonprofit and a company, in which the company provides financial support in exchange for benefits like increased brand exposure and positive public relations.

To ensure your partnerships are a success, follow these steps:

• Network. Attend networking events, industry conferences, or corporate social responsibility forums to connect with potential partners. Introduce them to your mission and explain your need for a sponsor.
• Target businesses with similar values to your own. Reach out to businesses that have demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility and have a natural connection to animal welfare. For instance, if you run an animal shelter, a dog boarding business would be an ideal match, since you share similar target audiences and services.
• Create a compelling proposal. Explain how the partnership will be a mutually beneficial venture. For instance, let’s say you’re asking a dog boarding business to donate to your upcoming fundraising campaign. In return, you will shout out the business on social media and mention them in a speech at your next event, thereby introducing the business to a new client base.

After securing a corporate sponsor, maintain open communication throughout the partnership, providing regular updates on the impact of their investment and seeking feedback on how the partnership can continue to be beneficial for both parties. Additionally, ask the sponsor to share your information with their employees and clients, as they may also be eager to give.

5. Use the Google Ad Grant

The Google Ad Grant provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 in monthly ad credits to promote their websites through Google Ads. When you create a Google Ad, your organization appears at the top of the search engine results page for your chosen keyword, encouraging interested users to get involved.

If your organization is eligible, it’s easy to apply for the program. Once Google accepts your application, you’ll be able to market your nonprofit and reach new donors by following these tips:

• Choose relevant keywords. The funds you receive through the Google Ad Grant go towards bidding on keywords. These are words that users interested in your cause may search for, and by bidding on them, you can show up first for relevant searches. For example, your organization may choose “animal shelter donations” or “animal rescue group contributions” in order for potential donors to find your site.
• Include a call to action. When people see your Google Ads, make it clear what action you’d like them to take. In this case, it’s donating to your cause. Include “Donate Now!” or “Help An Animal In Need Today!” in the copy of your Google Ad to encourage people to contribute.
• Measure your success. The Google Ad Grant program gives you access to Google Analytics, where you can track your campaign success. See how many conversions, or donations, your ads inspired, and take note of which campaigns performed best so you know which keywords and copy to focus on for next time.

Adding the Google Ad Grant to your donor outreach strategy comes at no additional cost to your organization and can help you gain new support. If you’d like help applying for or managing your Google Ad Grant, consider reaching out to a Google Ad Grant agency.

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By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to effectively connect with donors. Remember to always stay true to your organization’s values, maintain transparency with your supporters, and continuously seek out new opportunities for engagement. With persistence, you can build a strong donor base and make a meaningful difference in the world of animal welfare.

It’s no secret that fundraising allows nonprofits to operate day-to-day and make a difference in the community. However, for your nonprofit to thrive, the key is fundraising sustainably.

To achieve financial sustainability, your organization needs to focus not only on maximizing the amount of funding you bring in but also on bringing in several different types of donations. While fundraising events and year-end giving campaigns still have their place, diversifying your revenue streams helps ensure that you’ll have enough funding all year long.

To help you get started, here are five ongoing fundraisers your nonprofit can use to diversify its revenue:

1. Online Shopping Fundraisers
2. Gift Card Fundraising
3. Charity eCards
4. Matching Gifts
5. Search Ad Grants Programs

In addition to providing your organization with year-round donations, these fundraisers can engage your supporters in new, creative ways. Making it easy to give again and again helps improve your donor retention rate, which also contributes to financial sustainability. Let’s dive in!

1. Online Shopping Fundraisers

Online shopping fundraisers allow supporters to give back to organizations and causes they care about while making everyday purchases online. You might have heard of the AmazonSmile program, which ran on this model until its discontinuation in early 2023. However, there are alternative fundraising programs your organization can sign up for that provide more flexibility and higher commission rates than AmazonSmile did.

ShopRaise’s guide to shopping for a cause explains how your nonprofit can get started with an online shopping fundraiser in three easy steps:

1. Partner with an online shopping fundraiser platform. This platform includes both a free internal-facing fundraising dashboard for your organization and a supporter-facing app that provides access to a wide network of retailers. Your shopping platform’s team will guide you through a simple onboarding process and answer any questions you may have during setup.
2. Spread the word. Marketing is essential to a successful online shopping fundraiser. Your supporters will need instructions on how to get started and regular reminders to continue participating. The platform you partner with may be able to help with this step by creating branded landing pages, email templates, flyers, and other marketing materials for your organization.
3. Track your results. You’ll be able to view real-time data on your fundraiser, allowing you to thank top supporters individually and hone your marketing strategy over time. To protect shoppers’ privacy, your organization will see just their names and overall fundraising totals—only the supporter will know exactly what they purchased.

During your online shopping fundraiser, your supporters can choose to shop at any participating retailer. They’ll pay the same prices they would normally and have access to all applicable discounts. The only difference is that they’ll use the fundraising platform’s app or browser extension when making their purchases. Over time, the small contributions from an online shopping fundraiser will add up to make a significant difference for your organization.

2. Gift Card Fundraising

Another way supporters can contribute to your nonprofit by making everyday purchases is through gift card fundraising. Similarly to an online shopping fundraiser, your organization partners with a fundraising platform that offers a variety of digital gift cards. Once supporters purchase these cards and have them delivered to their inboxes, they can forward the email to a loved one as a gift. A portion of each gift card sale goes back to your organization when the supporter purchases it.

You’ll get the most traction from gift card fundraising if you launch in either November (in advance of the December holiday season) or April (to prepare for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, peak wedding season, and school graduations). However, it’s best to leave your fundraiser open year-round so supporters can continue to purchase birthday gifts. While fundraising gift cards can be used for either online or in-person purchases, a digital delivery method provides maximum convenience for both your organization and your supporters.

3. Charity eCards

Online greeting cards help personalize the giving experience for supporters, deepening their connection with your organization. You can customize a variety of donation eCards for different occasions, from birthdays to holidays to awareness days related to your nonprofit’s mission.

There are three main ways to incorporate eCards into your organization’s donation processes:

1. Create an integrated donation form that allows supporters to send an eCard to a friend or family member as an incentive for donating.
2. Embed a widget into your donation confirmation page to provide the post-contribution option of sending an eCard.
3. Add eCards to your nonprofit’s existing online merchandise store.

No matter which option you choose, consider marketing your charity eCards alongside a gift card fundraiser. This way, supporters can send an eCard and a gift card to their loved ones at the same time, all while contributing to a good cause!

4. Matching Gifts

Matching gifts allow your organization to double many donations you already receive. When a supporter who works for a business with a matching gift program donates to your nonprofit and submits a match request, their employer will also contribute, usually matching the original gift at a 1:1 ratio.

According to 360MatchPro’s matching gift statistics, more than 26 million people work for businesses with matching gift programs, and 84% of donors say they’re more likely to donate if they know their gift will be matched. However, it’s estimated that up to $7 billion in matching funds goes unclaimed each year, mainly because many donors don’t know they’re eligible.

Your organization can help solve this problem and maximize your matching gift revenue in two ways. First, embed a matching gift tool directly into your online donation form so donors can quickly check their eligibility. Some of these tools also have auto-submission features, allowing supporters to submit match requests simply by entering their work email address. Second, actively promote matching gifts across all of your marketing channels to remind donors to request that all of their contributions be matched.

5. Search Ad Grants Programs

Although search ad grants programs aren’t fundraisers in the traditional sense, they can help offset marketing costs for your nonprofit. When you apply and are approved for one of these programs, your organization receives a monthly stipend for advertising on search engines. You can then use these marketing grants to support your existing fundraising efforts by driving traffic to your online donation page, event registration forms, and other key pages on your website.

The Google Ad Grants program is the most well-known of these programs. Your organization can apply for it in five easy steps:

1. Confirm that your organization meets the Google Grant eligibility requirements.
2. Register with TechSoup (if you haven’t done so already).
3. Create a Google for Nonprofits Account and wait a few days for it to be approved.
4. Prepare your website according to Google’s website policy checklist.
5. Submit your grant application through your approved Google for Nonprofits account.

In addition to the Google Ad Grants program, Microsoft offers search ad grants through their Ads for Social Impact program. To secure this grant, your organization just needs to register for Microsoft for Nonprofits and complete the Microsoft Ad Grants application. Once your application is approved, you’ll be able to place ads across all Microsoft-owned and operated websites to boost supporter conversions.

As your nonprofit goes about its day-to-day operations, there may be times when unexpected costs arise or your fundraising campaigns fall short of their goals for reasons beyond your control. When this happens, having diversified revenue streams can help your organization maintain financial stability. Additionally, since nonprofit donations tend to peak at the end of the year and die down during the summer, running ongoing fundraisers can help you maintain momentum during slower times of the year.

On average, working adults receive 120 emails a day. That means that each time your nonprofit sends an email, it’s competing with over a hundred other messages vying for each supporter’s attention.

In these crowded inboxes, how do you make your emails stand out? Once they do catch your recipients’ attention, how do you lead supporters from email to your website to take action?

Optimizing the donor journey from email to your donation page will increase conversion rates and build stronger supporter relationships in the process. When you make it easy for supporters to donate, you’ll give donors a better online experience and increase the chances they’ll give again. We’ll discuss these four tips for how to do just that:

1. Make every email actionable.
2. Design landing pages that hold donors’ attention.
3. Simplify your donation page.
4. Ensure consistency throughout the donor journey.

Soliciting donations from email isn’t just about having the right marketing strategy. Every step a donor takes, from clicking a link and arriving on your nonprofit’s website to filling out your donation form, needs to be cohesive and well thought out. Let’s start with the email itself.

1. Make every email actionable.

When crafting emails, focus on what will compel supporters to visit your website and take the next step. Not every email needs to be a donation appeal to lead donors to your giving page. Simply guide readers toward your website, then let your website do the rest of the work.

Optimize the following aspects of your emails to gently nudge donors toward your website:

• Subject lines: 64% of people decide whether to open or delete an email based solely on the subject line. Make your subject lines more compelling by personalizing them with donors’ names and conveying urgency. For example, the subject line “Jim, you still have 24 hours left to give the gift of sight” is more actionable than “Join Our Eyeglass Gifting Campaign.”
• Content: Supporters shouldn’t have to spend a long time reading your emails. Craft short but engaging messages that use storytelling techniques to inspire readers to dive deeper by visiting your website.
• Links: Depending on the content of an email, you could link to blog posts, campaign pages, volunteer signups, or directly to your donation page. Any link that leads readers to your website helps, but make sure the text clearly tells supporters where the link will take them. Linking your donation page over the text “Breanna’s story,” for example, could be confusing and misleading.
• CTAs: Calls to action, or CTAs, are vital for nonprofit emails. These are the buttons, text, or images that ask readers to click to donate, sign a petition, or take another next step. Improve your CTAs by keeping them short, straightforward, and clearly actionable.

To check the effectiveness of these strategies, analyze your emails’ click-through rate (CTR). Determine which types of content and CTAs drive the most engagement from your audience, and use similar content for future emails.

2. Design landing pages that hold donors’ attention.

Once a donor clicks a link in your email and arrives on your website, you need to encourage them to stay on the site and explore your content.

For example, let’s say you sent an email about an upcoming fundraising gala and linked to an event registration page. There are plenty of aspects of this page you can optimize to not only get users to sign up for the gala, but also stay on your website.

When designing landing pages using your organization’s website builder, make sure they include:

• Compelling visuals: Images, graphics, and videos often hold users’ attention better than text alone. Plus, photos of your beneficiaries, volunteers, or staff help build an emotional connection with supporters. On your gala landing page, you might include a photo of last year’s attendees or an infographic showing how much the previous gala raised for your cause.
• Relevant content: The information, images, and links on a landing page should all be relevant to your audience and their interests. If you know your supporters will be most excited about the auction portion of your gala, for example, your landing page could provide a sneak peek of a few high-profile auction items.
• Optimized UX: User experience (UX) refers to how easily visitors can navigate your website. Negative UX, such as a long page loading time or buttons that aren’t clickable, can cause supporters to leave your website quickly. Avoid this by testing each landing page to ensure everything appears and works properly on desktop and mobile versions.

Every landing page should also have a clear pathway to your donation page. This is commonly done by creating a universal banner that lives at the top of every page of your website and features a large “Donate” button.

One way to make this design process easier is to use a website template that was created with nonprofits in mind. Morweb lists the top nonprofit website templates you should consider, many of which include built-in donation buttons or embedded donation forms. Using templates like these can help you streamline the donor journey without spending too much staff time on technical details.

3. Simplify your donation page.

Imagine that a supporter visited your event registration page and can’t attend the gala, but wants to donate. They click the prominent “Donate” button at the top of the signup page and arrive on your donation page. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for, but your work isn’t done yet.

Plenty of roadblocks can stop someone from completing an online donation. If the page doesn’t load fast enough, if there are too many prompts, or if anything on the page is confusing, donors might exit the page. Simplifying your donation page and only asking for necessary information gives donors a better experience and increases the likelihood of completed gifts.

Use these tips to simplify your donation page:

• Limit form fields to include only straightforward, necessary questions.
• Ensure your donation form is accessible on mobile devices.
• Include suggested donation amounts so donors can quickly choose a popular donation size.
• Test load times using Google Lighthouse and follow the recommended steps to improve your page’s speed.

Be sure to monitor your donation form’s bounce rate to see how many supporters aren’t completing their donations, then analyze why that may be happening. Make adjustments as needed, or send out a survey to donors asking for their opinions on the page.

4. Ensure visual consistency throughout the donor journey.

NXUnite’s biggest nonprofit web design tip is to ensure brand consistency across every page on your site. But don’t stop at your website — this brand consistency should extend to your emails, social media graphics, and every communication you send to supporters.

To ensure donors have a cohesive experience of your nonprofit throughout the entire journey from email to website to donation page, visual consistency is key. Specifically, the following branding and design elements should stay consistent across all website pages and messages:

• Logo
• Color scheme
• Typography
• Image style
• Tone and messaging

Your website builder should allow you to easily customize branding elements across your entire site. There are plenty of email tools and templates that allow for quick brand customization, as well. Just remember to update all of your website pages and marketing collateral when you make any branding changes.

These tips will help you provide donors with a better overall online experience, leading to higher conversion rates and improved retention. Focus on reducing the number of steps donors need to take and making it easy for them to take action. Update your email and web design strategy as you identify areas of improvement, and don’t be afraid to ask for input from your internal and external stakeholders.