nonprofit fundraising ideasNonprofits have gotten battered in 2020. First, we have the matter of the pandemic, which placed an extreme burden on society. Because of that, we have massive amounts of unemployment in the U.S. At present, more than 36 million people don’t have jobs. Thus, all of these monumental stressors are affecting groups and their nonprofit fundraising ideas.

For instance, people in the philanthropic sector understand that business is not as usual. Events across the U.S. as nonprofits shifted to virtual fundraising once leaders got over the shock to the system. And as a result of everything happening, fundraisers have had to think fast. There are more demands on their services, but a lot less money to do it.

Still, where there is a will, there’s a way. As we know, now is the time for nonprofit leaders to give hope meaning. And, that means making sure they continue to provide services.

Easy & Quick Nonprofit Fundraising Ideas

1) Shoe Drive Fundraiser

One of the quickest and easiest nonprofit fundraising ideas are shoe drive fundraisers. By doing this no-selling fundraiser, all your group does is to ask people to give you the shoes they don’t want. The more shoes you collect, the more money you raise. Once the fundraiser finishes, you get a check from a reputable social enterprise. Meaning, you don’t have to ask your donors for money. But there’s a lot more to this sort of fundraiser.

Your cause raises the money you need in about 60 days, and your community makes a global social impact. For instance, you keep good shoes out of the trash, which harms the planet, while you raise money for your successful organization. Also, you help thousands of people in developing nations who sell the footwear you collected for a living. Think of the global impact that comes from a zero-cost, no selling fundraiser.

2) Sip and Paint Nonprofit Fundraiser

As you know, virtual fundraising became popular in 2020. And, the reality is that it’s not going to go away. The nonprofits and causes that adapt to the changes in fundraising will be the ones that not only survive but also thrive. So, one event that you can do in person or virtually is a sip and paint fundraiser. This kind of fundraiser is an excellent opportunity for your supporters and community to get creative and have fun.

You can choose to do it through a fundraising company for it, such as Painting Circle, or you can do it on your own. If you decide to do it on your own, reach out to an art supply store and ask them for a discount for your supporters. Also, you want to get a local artist to volunteer to teach a painting class. Once that’s done, direct people to purchase supplies at the store and encourage people to sign-up (and make a donation) for your virtual or in-person fundraising event.

3) Raise Money With A Silent Auction

A silent auction is an excellent way to get everyone in your community involved in your cause—especially if you get great items to auction. Many nonprofits do live or silent auctions for a reason; it’s one of the best nonprofit fundraising ideas. And, it allows donors to get something of interest for them while raising money for your cause. Some of the best items to auction off include sports memorabilia, wellness products, and family activities. Some examples of those activities include movie tickets, gift baskets, or restaurant meals.

As we know, fundraising is becoming more digitized, and that makes it easier for you. For example, you can have the entire silent auction happen online with donors bidding from their smartphones. Several excellent platforms help you with bidding and planning a silent auction, and that includes OneCause’s silent auction planning guide. If you decide to do a silent auction, remember that the items will be the main draw. So, get creative on what your supporters would like to bid.

4) Try the Ungala for Something Different

Before the circumstances of this year, many nonprofits had on their calendars their annual gala. However, donors and supporters have been tired of this event. Candidly, it’s boring, and donors would much rather donate than have to attend a gala for the usual chicken dinner meal. That’s why for the last several years, leading nonprofits who listened to their donors have implemented ungalas. These fundraisers are also called the non-gala gala or gone with the gala.

An ungala, at its core, is a peer-to-peer fundraiser. All you have to do is ask your best supporters to give you the funds they would have donated to your annual event. As you’ll see, your donors will appreciate giving you the full amount, including what you would have spent on the formal gala. In addition, your champion supporters agree to set up a fundraising page and ask the people they know to donate. For more information on the ungala, check out this CauseVox page.

5) Community Serve-A-Thon

My final idea is a community serve-a-thon. We know that we’ve moved to a place as a country where people are trying to help others in their community during a tough time. And, this is a chance for you to show that you’re a nonprofit leader. It’s also a great way to help if you’re a start-up nonprofit. All you have to do for this fundraiser is to develop volunteer and service projects at your nonprofit or community. For instance, volunteers can serve in a soup kitchen or pick-up plastics at the beach.

For the raising money part of this nonprofit fundraising idea, again, you rely on peer-to-peer fundraising. Your donors and champion supporters give of their time, and they ask the people they know to sponsor them in the process. This fundraiser is a chance for your nonprofit to expand its brand and work to new people, which is essential at this time.

Finally, remember that you can mix and match fundraisers. In other words, some of these nonprofit fundraising ideas can get done at the same time for more fundraising dollars. For instance, you can do a shoe drive fundraiser in combination with a sip and paint fundraiser. To find out about more than 80 unique fundraising ideas to raise money, just take a look at this page.

 

© 2020 Wayne Elsey and Not Your Father’s Charity. All Rights Reserved.