The Best Fundraising Tips for Small Businesses
Whether you’re an experienced business owner or currently trying to get your first company off the ground, fundraising for small businesses can be an incredibly beneficial tool. A great fundraiser can give your small business the best possible start, help it survive a rough patch or take it to the next level when you need that extra boost.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of impactful fundraising ideas for small business owners. From sharing your business’ story to publishing visual content and providing regular updates to your supporters, here are our top tips for organizing a successful small business fundraiser.
The easiest way to raise money for a small business
From federal grants to state-level support and grassroots fundraising – there are numerous ways to start raising money for your small business. Not all fundraisers are made equal, however, and there are certain methods that will give your small business a valuable head start.
The easiest way to raise money for your small business is by setting up a fundraiser on an online crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding services like GoFundMe provide a simple, safe and instant way to collect donations for all kinds of meaningful causes – from charity events to business fundraisers that help entrepreneurs bring their dreams to life.
Crowdfunding allows you to raise capital without accumulating debt or having to put your credit score on the line. It also enables you to test the waters of the market and gauge public interest in your products or services, while providing built-in marketing for your brand and fostering an engaged community of potential customers.
Read our guide on How GoFundMe Works for a full explanation of starting a fundraiser, and get answers to all your fundraising questions.
5 tips for successful small business fundraising
After you’ve browsed some fundraising sites and chosen the platform that is best suited to your business’ needs, it’s time to get started on your fundraiser. Knowing exactly how to raise money for a small business through fundraising can be tricky, but not to worry—we’ve broken down the fundamental steps that any small business owner should take.
1. Craft a compelling fundraiser story
First and foremost, you’ll need to write a fundraiser story that clearly lays out what you’re raising money for and how donations will be used. Don’t be afraid to dive into specific budget details through your story, as this will help donors understand exactly how their donations will contribute to the success of your business.
Once you’ve covered the basics, make sure to include the unique backstory behind your business. People will want to know how long your business has existed and the various impacts it has made on individuals and your local community. When donors can connect with the people behind your fundraiser and understand why your business means so much to you, they will feel far more inclined to support your cause.
Here are a few small business fundraisers that provide thorough and personal descriptions which you can draw inspiration from:
2. Add a ‘Donate’ button to your small business website
If your fundraiser is live on GoFundMe, you can use our Donate Button feature to spotlight your fundraiser on your business’ blog or website. This Donate Button will automatically link to your GoFundMe—so with one simple click, people who are on your website can visit your fundraiser and donate. Any new donations that come in will be immediately reflected on your fundraiser page.
Aside from creating a convenient way for your website visitors to support your fundraiser, a donate button also encourages supporters to share your fundraiser with their own networks. Every single GoFundMe fundraiser has a unique embed code, which means that friends, family, and community members can easily share your small business fundraiser by copying and pasting your Donate Button to their personal websites and blogs.
Related reading: Support Black-Owned Businesses in Your Community and Beyond
3. Use pictures and videos to boost donations
Make sure to include photos or videos that highlight what makes your business unique. On top of showcasing why your fundraiser deserves support, this will also make your fundraiser page more visually appealing to donors. If you are raising funds for a restaurant, for example, this might involve pictures of best-selling dishes or friendly service staff who have built relationships with members of your local community.
If you have any video content that showcases what your small business is like, this can be an incredibly valuable addition to your fundraiser page. For example, many gyms and fitness centers create engaging marketing videos to advertise their services and attract new customers. This type of content is great for showing donors how your small business can benefit the local community when operating at its fullest potential.
For additional tips read the US Chamber of Commerce’s blog post How to Create a Successful GoFundMe.
Check out our guides on how to enhance your fundraiser with photos and the process behind creating a powerful fundraising video to take your small business fundraiser to the next level.
4. Keep your supporters in the loop
One of the most important parts of any fundraiser is keeping your supporters informed and updated. To do this effectively, make sure that you’re posting frequent fundraiser updates to let supporters know how their donations are helping your small business. Feel free to get creative with your updates—sharing an image or a video that sums up the progress of your fundraiser is a great way to engage supporters and boost sharing on social media.
Here are a few unique ways to update supporters that can help your small business fundraiser stand out from the crowd:
- Personal stories of how donations have impacted the lives of specific employees.
- Accounts of how donations are aiding specific aspects of your business, such as paying rent and utility bills or funding new technologies.
- Individual shoutouts to specific donors who have made generous contributions or aided your fundraiser in different ways.
- Behind-the-scenes videos giving supporters an insight into how your business is changing as a result of donations.
- Social media polls or live Q&A sessions which give your supporters a chance to have their say in how your small business moves forward.
Keep in mind that providing your supporters with compelling updates can even inspire repeat donations and forge meaningful connections for your small business.
5. Share your fundraiser with your network
Once you’ve implemented some creative fundraising ideas for your small business, it’s time to start sharing your fundraiser with your supporters. Getting the word out about your efforts is one of the most vital steps to any successful fundraiser, and there are a number of unique ways that you can go about it:
- Social media: Share your fundraiser on social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook to reach a wide audience with just a few clicks.
- Email newsletters: If your small business uses email marketing software, use it to let your subscribers know about your fundraiser. Use our handy email fundraising templates to ensure that you’re getting the most out of this valuable fundraising tool.
- Blog posts: If your business has a blog, put together a post that shares why you are fundraising to generate interest among your supporters.
- Traditional fliers: Print out fliers with a link or QR code directing passers-by to your fundraising page, and post them on bulletin boards or other highly-visible areas in your community.
For more creative inspiration as to how you can effectively share your fundraiser without going online, read our guide on Online Fundraising Without Social Media.
How to find financial relief for your small business after a disaster
The period of time following a natural disaster, financial crisis or other catastrophic event is crucial to the survival of any small business. At the same time, knowing how to get funds in these circumstances can be difficult. However, there are plenty of routes that you can take to get your business back on track in the aftermath of a disaster.
Spotlight your situation by reaching out to local media
Following a disaster or crisis event, local media outlets often look for stories from people or businesses that have been affected. While providing news channels with compelling content, this can also raise awareness about the difficulties that your small business is facing.
Media outlets are extremely well-connected, and can point you in the direction of grants, loans or charitable organizations that may offer some support. Most news sources—radio stations, television stations and local newspapers—will have a contact number or online page where you can reach out to them and share your story. Or, you can always get in touch through social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Research disaster relief funds
In times of crisis, relief funds are often set up for industries and businesses that are most severely affected by a given disaster. Here are a few small business loans and disaster relief funds that may be able to support you in the event of a crisis.
- The United States’ Small Business Administration provides low-interest disaster assistance loans to small businesses and homeowners who have been affected by declared disasters. Whether you have experienced a crisis situation or want to protect your small business for the future—you can apply for an SBA disaster loan today.
- Cities and towns typically have specific small business relief programs for crises that affect their local communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides various types of monetary relief in the wake of natural disasters, and allows you to search for local crisis resources in your state.
- The Economic Development Administration (EDA) provides emergency funding and infrastructure for communities affected by natural disasters, often with a specific focus on small businesses.
Host a virtual fundraising event
In-person fundraising and charity events are often difficult or impossible to orchestrate in the aftermath of a crisis. However, virtual fundraising events can be just as effective and equally as fun. While not every business offers services that can easily be translated to the online space, virtual events present the perfect opportunity to get creative with your small business fundraiser ideas.
Virtual fundraising events can also help your small business to make significant savings on admin costs, bypassing the need to pay for a venue, catering and other logistical expenses. Taking your event online also makes attending more convenient for your supporters, ensuring that your fundraiser attracts the maximum amount of potential donors. You could host a virtual auction, talent show, fitness class or any other event which relates to your small business.
Offer discounts and run promotions
If the performance of your business is suffering due to a crisis, a great way to generate ongoing revenue and interest is to offer discounts and run promotions for the service that you provide. For example, you could offer a 20% discount across certain products for a set period of time, with a percentage of sales revenue going directly to a disaster relief fund for your small business.
It’s important to be transparent and let your customers know the percentage of funds that will be used for your small business fundraiser. In most cases, knowing that their money is going towards a worthy cause will actually incentivise your supporters to spend more. Don’t forget to share any sales or promotions across all of your small business’ social media channels.
*Note: GoFundMe is not responsible for any offers, promises, rewards or promotions made or offered on GoFundMe fundraisers. Read our terms of service to learn more.
Start your small business fundraiser today
Whether you’ve been struck by a natural disaster, affected by crime or just need some help getting through a rough patch—crowdfunding can help your small business to get the financial support that it needs. Where grants and loans can take weeks or months to be processed and approved, launching a small business fundraiser allows you to immediately start receiving and asking for donations.
Fundraising for your small business can also be a great opportunity to rally your community around your business. If you haven’t got going yet, sign up and start a fundraiser for your small business today. Use our creative fundraising tips and ideas to get your fundraiser off the ground, then share it far and wide—your small business will be back on its feet in no time.