Raising Money: Eight Easy Steps on How To

December 18, 2024 | 6 min read Financial Assistance

If you’re wondering how to raise money online quickly, crowdfunding is a great option. If you’ve never raised funds online before, the process may seem overwhelming. But if you follow this guide of five simple steps you’ll have everything you need to raise money online for yourself, a loved one, or your favourite cause.

Start a GoFundMe

How to raise funds online in 6 easy steps

1. Define your goal

Start by determining how much money you need to raise. This is very important because it helps your potential donors understand how much money you need to raise for your specific cause. People are more likely to give money to a cause that is clearly defined because people are always more likely to get behind something that is achievable, so calculate your fundraising goal based on your total cost breakdown. Them, lay out exactly what you need to achieve to hit your target. Remember that many crowdfunding platforms, like GoFundMe, allow you to change your goal amount if you need to so it’s never set in stone.

2. Choose an online fundraising platform

When picking a platform for fundraising online you should look for:

The lowest fees (both platform fees and payment processing fees)
Ease of use and website design
Customer support options
Safe, trusted, and quick access to your funds
Advanced sharing capabilities

To dive deeper into crowdfunding platform comparisons, see our blog post on top crowdfunding sites.

3. Tell your story from the heart

As humans, we are hardwired to respond to powerful stories. Personal fundraising stories help facilitate an emotional connection between the reader and the beneficiary, which can ultimately lead to more donations. This is why it’s important to be as honest as you can about your situation. Trying to speak from your own voice can also help with this, people appreciate honesty.

We understand that asking for help can be scary, but you don’t have to do it alone. To help, we came up with a few questions you can ask yourself when writing your story:

What will the funds be used for?
How are you connected to the cause?
How will the donations raised aid you or help others?
Why does the recipient need this donation?

Try to answer basic “Who, What, Where, When, Why, How” questions to increase the likelihood of donation. Remember, when it comes to fundraising, the why is particularly important. If you would like additional guidance, check out our guide to learn how to write a captivating fundraiser story.

Write a captivating title to match your story

Come up with a strong title after you’ve written your personal fundraising story. Titles are important because they can help you summarise your story in one standout phrase. Titles can give the audience a glimpse into what your fundraiser is about. Make sure it reflects what your fundraiser is for in a clear way so that people click through and donate. People are less likely to read fundraisers with extremely wordy titles, get to your point in a short, snappy way. Check out some great fundraiser title tips to help you get started.

Once you’ve posted your fundraiser, get feedback on it from trusted friends and family. Use any good suggestions to refine your story such as adding powerful images, videos to tell the story, etc. Then, ask your inner circle for donations. Why? If potential donors see that some funds have already been raised, people are more likely to donate. It is also nice to build an early foundation of donations for your peace of mind before you release it further, as that can seem a bit daunting. Once your inner circle has donated, share your fundraiser with everyone everywhere through your GoFundMe manage dashboard.

A couple of common questions we see asked are “how to get my GoFundMe noticed?” and “how to raise money on GoFundMe?” The more visible your fundraiser is, the more donations you’ll receive. An effective way to expand your reach is to connect social media and fundraising. If you create a Facebook page for your fundraiser, consider paying to boost posts if the costs will be outweighed by donations. If you want to promote your fundraiser on Twitter, try creating custom links to add to your tweets. If you want to use email, try using one of our email fundraising templates to help simplify the process. It can seem scary to put your fundraiser out there on social media, but if it is done well, it can pay dividends, massively increasing the amount of donations you receive.

While social media is a great way to connect potential donors with your fundraiser, there are other ways to share if that option is not viable for you. Want to know how to raise money online without using social media? Try one of our top ways of fundraising without social media like creating flyers for bulletin boards.

5. Post updates

Posting frequent updates is a great way to keep your family, friends, and others engaged. Updates also keeps your fundraiser in the minds of your support network which is a great way to potentially get repeat donations and help them feel connected to your journey. You can post updates to thank your network, remind people how much you have left until you reach your goal, or express your feelings along your journey as you experience the ups and down.

6. Show appreciation towards your donors

When a person makes a donation to your fundraiser, it’s because they believe in your cause. This is why thank-yous are so important — they serve as a way for donors to remain part of your story. Simple, personalised donation thank you letters are an easy way to show your appreciation and strengthen relationships with donors. If you’re not sure how to thank donors for their support, check out our blog for easy ways to say thank you to your kind donors.

Get started today

Now that you know the best ways to raise money online, create your fundraiser on GoFundMe today. If you need extra guidance, we offer a wide range of resources to help you double your donations and cover topics ranging from raising money for surgery assistance, emergency rental assistance, and much more. For more ways to raise money through crowdfunding, check out our fundraising tips, fundraising ideas, and many other guides on the GoFundMe blog.