The Unique Challenges of Fundraising for Nonprofits

​Three common problem areas and what you can do to overcome them

​We live in an interesting time. It’s never been easier to access information. Most people walk around with a device in their pocket that lets them know about pretty much everything happening anywhere on the planet. For the most part, this is an excellent development, especially for nonprofits. 

​Nowadays, people are much more aware of social issues, as well as the organizations advocating for them. This is obviously positive news; however, it is also a bit of a double-edged sword. With so many nonprofits looking to raise money, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. 

On top of the crowded landscape, a person may get an alert on their phone about a current news event and a moment later, one about their favorite pair of pants going on sale. On which item do you think they’ll prioritize their money? This leads into one of the biggest fundraising challenges:

Some folks just aren’t willing to donate ​

​If your nonprofit is going after millennial dollars, it will take some effort. According to the 2013 Census, millennials make about $2,000 per year less than their parents did at the same age. Another study says that millennial spending habits are similar to those of their Depression-era grandparents! So, what about baby boomers? Surely they’re still giving to charities? Well, yes and no. Boomer spending is up, shows a Gallup analysis, but the younger members of the demographic are almost as hesitant to give as the millennials. So, what’s a nonprofit to do?

The key to getting anyone to donate to your nonprofit is by building a relationship with them. You have to get to know them – and vice versa – before even thinking about asking them for money. Instead, first ask them to sign up for your newsletter or download a pamphlet. See if they would be interested in signing a petition. Figure out ways for potential donors to create an emotional connection with your work before trying to get them to open their wallets. 

The social media conundrum

These days, all organizations need to have a social media presence, and nonprofits are no exception. Chances are that most – if not all – of your possible donors use social media on a daily basis. But this raises some big questions. First, which networks should you use? Just when you think you may have gotten a handle on Facebook and Twitter, suddenly Snapchat and Pinterest come along, and next week there will be another platform everyone will talk about. 

​You definitely do not want to overextend yourself. You may think your nonprofit should have a profile on every social network, but if you can’t keep up with the posting, don’t do it. Nothing looks worse than a page that’s collecting cobwebs. 

The first thing you want to do is determine who your target audience is. Then you can figure out which social networks they use and focus on those. Social media is a great place to tell stories about your organization, mission, and events, and it also gives you a fantastic opportunity to engage with people to build those precious relationships.

Mobile, mobile, everywhere​

​Remember those devices everybody’s carrying that we mentioned earlier? People are pretty much glued to them, and for many folks, their smartphones and tablets are the only way they access the Internet. This is why you need to think of mobile first for all of your initiatives. Assume that all of your content will be viewed on a mobile device and optimize it accordingly.

​When’s the last time you checked your website on your phone? If it looks exactly like it does on your computer, chances are people won’t stay there for long, which means you could be losing precious funding. One way to improve the mobile user experience is by simplifying the donation process, and you can do this by utilizing the auto-fill information stored on devices.

Want to make it easier to raise funds for your nonprofit? Get in touch with memberplanet. Our all-in-one platform will help spread the word about you, make it easy to manage your online presence, and turn your donation process into a snap. Learn more about what we can do for you and sign up here.

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