Like many industries, fundraising has changed rapidly over the last few years. More and more donations are being made on-line and new causes and events are springing up daily. While email and social media make it easier to reach existing and potential donors, staying current with your approach and messaging is crucial. Read on for fundraising trends to know and use right now.
WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY
Many authors and commentators have coined 2018 “The Year of Women” and this cultural zeitgeist is just as relevant in the philanthropic realm. Women are gaining financial strength, both through earnings and inheritances. Women are more likely than men to give to charity, and give higher donations in proportion to wealth. Research has also shown that women are more active than men on social media, such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and women gave 63% of donations received through the 2016 US Giving Tuesday campaign. Women are an important and unique donor group and charities should be considering how to best harness women’s giving potential.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Millennials and technology are inseparable… it’s how they communicate and connect, and it’s also how they give to charity. To reach a Millennial audience, you not only need an on-line and social media presence, but one that is compelling enough to be shared, liked, and tweeted. Your online content should offer not only a clear and persuasive call to action, but also report on results and illustrate how donations impact outcomes. Engage young donors by inviting them to post their own photos, videos or other content which tags your organization and supports the cause. And make sure everything you present on-line is optimized for mobile, from facts and figures to donation portals.
GIVING CIRCLES
A Giving Circle (also known as collective giving) is structured so that a group of individual donors agree to each contribute a set dollar amount to a joint pool of funds. The group then collectively decides how to grant or allocate the pool of funds. Due to the their flexible and democratic nature, Giving circles can provide a unique access point to engage new groups of donors and can also serve as a cultivation tool for future major gifts.
PEER-TO-PEER CAMPAIGNS
Peer to peer fundraising has expanded greatly with the rise of e-mail and social media making it easier than ever for individuals to solicit their networks in support of a cause. Peer-to-peer fundraising events don’t need to be mass participation events. Make sure your organization is nimble enough to accommodate a variety of peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives and crowd sourcing campaigns, and invest in software that allows for users to customize the peer to peer ask with personal messaging, photos and videos.
GIVING DAYS
In just 6 short years, Giving Tuesday has become an international movement that raised $300,000,000 on-line in 150 countries last year. Giving Days establish momentum around philanthropy and inspire supporters to join a community of donors. Social media makes it easy leverage this trend amongst donors so if you haven’t already, consider becoming part of Giving Tuesday this November, or create your own Giving Day to motivate your donations.
For more ideas on online giving, get in touch with a Giving Gateway fundraising concierge at 1.888.930.GIVE (4483) or schedule a FREE demo.
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