Running a fundraiser takes time, effort, and sometimes a bit of creativity, but we are here to help. Sharing the link to your GoFundMe fundraising page often online is an important way to get noticed, but you don’t have to rely only on social media platforms alone. Use this list of fundraising tips to help reach new donors and hit your fundraising goal.
Drive donations with these fundraising tips:
1. Share your GoFundMe quickly and often
Once you publish your fundraiser on a fundraising platform like GoFundMe, aim to share it within the next 10 hours to start gaining momentum and online donations. Start by sharing the link to your fundraising page with at least three of your closest friends and family members, and ask if they would consider donating to help you kickstart your fundraising efforts and watch it grow in real-time. Then, share your link with your broader circles.
2. Ask friends to help you reach new donors
You don’t have to do all the work by yourself. Peer-to-peer fundraising can be a great way to get your donation page shared among new donors. Think of three or more friends, colleagues or family members who are active on social media or would be willing to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your fundraising campaign page with their networks. Ask if they would be willing to help you spread the word about your GoFundMe by sharing your fundraiser with their networks.
3. Be clear about where online donations go
We’ve seen that potential donors like to know how their online donations will be used. Whether you’re crowdfunding for a nonprofit, loved one or yourself, be clear about how the money you raise through your fundraising page will be spent, or what different donation amounts can help to buy. These extra details can help donors feel more confident to give.
Example: “A donation of $35 helps cover one tank of gas for the drives to and from the hospital.”
4. Highlight milestones or deadlines to drive urgency
Let people know if you need to reach your fundraising goal by a certain date. This can motivate your donor base to act quickly and help you reach your goal in a shorter time frame.
Example: “We are raising money to honor my grandmother at her memorial service on March 4.”
Similarly, sharing the progress of your online fundraiser with your donor base is an important way to show people the impact they have had on you, a loved one, or the nonprofit you’re crowdfunding for. When you reach a milestone, share the achievement with your supporters and ask them to help you spread the word. This not only helps to create a sense of community among your supporters but will also let them know how far away you are from reaching your goal.
Example: “I am halfway to reaching my fundraising goal of raising school supplies for my daughter’s classroom! Will you help me reach my goal by donating $10 or sharing?”
5. Reach out to your neighbors
Once you’ve asked friends and neighbors to donate to your online fundraiser, find new supporters by reaching out to the rest of your local community.
Ask organizers of local events, places of worship, alumni groups, and owners of local businesses like your favorite gym or coffee shops in-person to see if you can put up flyers advertising your fundraiser. Make sure to put a QR code that links directly to your donation page on the flyer to help people quickly find your fundraiser.
6. Record a video or livestream an event
While photos are meaningful, potential donors may connect with your story at an even deeper level if you record a simple, heartfelt video on your phone about why you are crowdfunding for your chosen cause and post it to your donation page. Learn more on our video fundraising tips page.
If your videos help to increase engagement with your campaign then consider doing a livestream next time you’re participating in a fundraising event or initiative. Share the livestream in a social media post and see if you can reach new audiences by having your supporters share the link to their networks.
7. Plan social media posts for weekday mornings
One of the best times of day to spread the word about your fundraising efforts is on weekday mornings when people are checking their social networks for updates about friends and family before they get to work.
If you can, block off a few minutes each morning to check-in with your donor base and any new supporters about your progress. You can also schedule social media posts to be automatically sent out at a dedicated time throughout the week, or use a template to write out and schedule an email for your followers one morning.
8. Get active and get sponsorship
Do you like to stay active? A great fundraising idea can be to create your own fitness challenge. Set a mini fundraising goal and tell your donors that you will be running, walking, swimming, climbing, or cycling a certain amount of miles to raise money for your chosen cause.
Ask them if they would consider donating $1 (or another relevant amount) per mile you plan to complete, or if they will sponsor you to complete a certain number of miles. After you cross the finish line be sure to follow up with donors by sharing photos of your journey and thank them for their support.
9. Use birthdays and important dates
Another fundraising strategy can be to use your birthday or an important holiday to drive people to your donation page. If you or a loved one has an important date or birthday coming up, consider asking family members to fill out a donation form for your chosen nonprofit or to make an online donation to your own fundraiser.
Example: “Please consider donating $15 on May 15 to help celebrate my birthday and support my favorite cause.”
10. Create a Facebook group for your fundraiser
If you don’t want to keep sharing social media posts about your crowdfunding efforts on your personal accounts, you can create a Facebook event or group for your fundraiser and invite all your friends on the platform to join it. Be sure to paste your fundraiser link in the event description and ask people to share photos, videos, memories, and comments that are relevant to your fundraiser.
11. Post in groups that share your interests
Social media networks like Facebook can be a great fundraising resource when you’re trying to raise awareness of your hard work and reach new audiences. Post a link to your fundraiser in a group that’s related to your cause. For example, if you are raising money to help cover the cost of your dog’s surgery, consider sharing the link and your dog’s story (be sure to include a photo!) in a dog-related Facebook group, Reddit thread, or other forum.
12. Post across different social media platforms
Social media platforms are great if you’re relying on a peer-to-peer campaign strategy for your fundraiser. We have seen that sharing your GoFundMe link and story on different platforms at least three times a week will help you with donor retention and to continue raising money.
For example, you can share your fundraiser on Instagram in a post or story, but don’t forget to use other great social media platforms like TikTok, WhatsApp, Twitch, and Nextdoor.
13. Share your fundraiser in unexpected places
Just because you’re crowdfunding online doesn’t mean all your fundraising efforts have to be digital. Get creative about how you can reach new audiences. Could you get the link to your fundraiser printed onto a bumper sticker? Could you chalk it on the sidewalk? Post a sign on your front lawn? The more creative, the better!
14. Send a handwritten letter to friends and family
You don’t need social media to share your GoFundMe link with your friends and family. Get out a pen and paper and write a short letter telling friends and family about your fundraising story or the nonprofit fundraising efforts you’re supporting, and ask if they would be able to donate your GoFundMe.
15. Team up with a local business
An effective fundraising strategy can be to see if a local business will pledge to be a major donor for your cause by offering you a sponsorship opportunity or to host a fundraising event. Anticipate numbers by using an event registration tool and boost donations on the night with a raffle.
You could also see if you can start a partnership with a coffee or sandwich shop and get them to temporarily name an item after your fundraiser. For example, “Daniel’s Dream Deluxe,” or “Cathy’s Battle Cappuccino.” Make sure to thank the business for their help in your fundraiser journey.
16. Step outside of your direct network
If you’re struggling to host an in-person event, instead try a little outreach work by posting a link to your donation page on your city’s Facebook page or in your Nextdoor community. This is a great way to connect to local folks you may not know who may be willing to help your cause by sharing your fundraiser link, donating, or supporting you in other ways.
17. Set up a lemonade stand
Starting a lemonade stand is a great fundraising tool—first, you’ll raise money for your cause. Next, you’ll spread awareness about your fundraiser among those in your community. You can serve cups of lemonade and instead of charging a fee ask if people would consider donating to your fundraiser.
Bodhi’s lemonade stand fundraiser supporting San Diego’s homeless youth is a great example of how online and in-person fundraising can work together to make a difference for a cause. Check out our other fundraising event ideas for more inspiration.
18. Post creative shoutouts to thank your donors
Donor management is an important part of fundraising, so get creative with your fundraising updates and how you thank people for supporting your cause. For example, you can post a photo of yourself holding a thank you sign with all your donors’ names written on it. Or, if the tone is right for your cause, share a thank you dance video you choreographed with your pet.
19. Use your special talents to creatively drive donations
Are you a singer, a poet, or a great photographer? Get your supporters excited to keep up with your fundraising journey by posting “10 Days of Songs” videos or “30 Days of Beautiful Photo Updates” to keep people entertained while they’re informed about your efforts.
20. Connect with a local event
Is a local event, county fair, or concert happening in your area? Ask if the event coordinators are interested in helping you promote your fundraiser during their event. For example, whether they could give you the mic for a few moments to explain your cause, or allow you to put up fundraiser signs at the entrance.