Do You Need to Raise Money Quickly? Try These Fast Fundraising Ideas

1. Add special dates within your fundraiser

Here’s a tried-and-tested way to give a crowdfunding fundraiser a quick boost. Do any of the numbers between 1 and 31 have a symbolic connection to your fundraiser? It could be the beneficiary’s age, an anniversary or a birthday. Mark that date on your calendar and make a special fundraising push on that day – ask everyone to give £15 on the 15th, for example. The date isn’t intended to be the final deadline for your fundraiser, it’s a special day within the bigger picture of your fundraiser.

2. Post updates to show how you’re using the funds

Never underestimate the power of updates! When potential donors see updates to your fundraiser, you make them aware of your goals again which creates a great opportunity to get people involved in your on-going story. Every time you thank your supporters or include them in your updates, potential donors will see how they could become part of your story too.

One of the key reasons for posting updates is to show what the funds that you’ve already received are going towards. A great example of this is the fundraiser Feeding those in need in Montecito.

3. List your expenses in the description

Clarity and brevity are essential to getting others to react quickly to your appeal. A list of expenses gives people a clear idea of what you need and why you need it – and that can help them get a clearer idea of the scale of the challenge that you’re facing. In your fundraiser story, include an itemised list of the expenses that you’re raising money for. For example, if you’re raising funds for an operation, list the cost of the operation itself along with all related items such as transport, prescriptions, physio, loss of earnings, childcare, copays etc.

People who might otherwise wonder what you need so much money for will quickly see exactly why you need it. Also, when people see precisely what their donation is going towards, they know how much of a difference they can make.

4. Slow down your launch to get a boost

It may seem counterintuitive at first, but people who know you less well are more likely to make a donation if they arrive at your fundraiser page and see that you’ve already raised a significant proportion of your goal. Therefore, we recommend sharing your fundraiser with your inner circle of family and close friends first and building up donations from that inner circle before you share it more widely on Facebook, Twitter etc.

5. Focus on the why

To be clear and complete, your fundraiser story needs to answer five crucial questions: who, what, when, whereand why. When it comes to creating a sense of urgency, you need to focus on the why. If the reason for your fundraiser isn’t clear, people will often assume you have other options.

So be clear and straightforward about why you’re doing your fundraiser. What will happen if you don’t raise these funds straight away? What would the negative consequences be? What will you be able to do if you do raise the funds? And why is it so vitally important for you to raise this money right now?