Popular Types of Fundraising Methods That Get Better With A Charity Management System

Fundraising is a central role of any charity organisation. As non-profits specifically depend on the gratitude of others to execute their projects, organisations carry out multiple fundraisers in a given year. While they are creative in conducting fundraisers, there are different fundraising methods. From peer-to-peer to purely online fundraisers, a charity management system can help them to organise themselves better. A charity management system is a software solution that can maximise an organisation’s fundraising efforts. In addition to being a marketing and finance tool, a charity management system help streamlines administrative tasks. It also offers convenient ways for the organisation and donors to conduct their affairs. This article will describe popular fundraising methods and explains how a charity management system can help organisations reach their maximum potential. 

Six Types of Fundraising Methods

Fundraising is not simply about collecting money. The way an organisation plans their fundraisers is an indication of how organised they are. It allows them to assess what resources they lack, demonstrates the importance of teamwork, and forces them to identify projects that should be prioritised instead of trying to do it all. Finding the most suitable fundraising method is crucial to succeeding in an organisation’s fundraiser campaign. The type of people the non-profit wants to partner with determines the fundraising method they should also use. Here are seven of the most popular fundraising methods which can be made even better when using a charity management system. 

Digital Fundraiser

Digital fundraisers are important in the 21st century as many people find the internet very convenient. Digital fundraisers refer to online fundraisers, typically allowing anyone to donate directly through their web page. This is the most popular way of collecting donations. Organisations would direct potential donors from their social media platforms to their web pages. An essential aspect in this regard is ensuring that the webpage has a secure online gateway for payments. This aspect can be guaranteed by adopting a charity management system, which allows the donor to create an account if they hope to donate or donate as a guest as a one-time donor. Regardless of whatever option the donor chooses, having a charity management system means that a profile will automatically be created in the backend for the records of the organisation, allowing them to monitor every time a donation is made. Once paid, the charity management system will generate a receipt for the donor’s reference, creating a cashless transaction in a user-friendly interface. 

Direct Mail

While it is argued that online donations are the most popular, trying to execute one successfully can be a challenging and financially taxing method. For instance, online platforms require specific fees to be made and with the lack of donations received, it may not be feasible in the long term. This is why some opt for direct mail as a fundraising method. The older generation specifically may opt for a more traditional approach. Direct mail refers to situations where donations are made by check. This option allows donors to target specific people by sending a self-addressed envelope to the donor. Smaller non-profits with strong ties with their communities or organisations with a pool of older donors may find this a more attractive fundraising method. Since this allows organisations to send more personalised messages, it will enable them to provide more information that may be hard to include in an online platform that restricts the content. A charity management system, although it is online, yet allows organisations to streamline this process by automating all documentation. Having clear financial records to ensure all procedures are transparent is an integral part of any non-profit organisation. A charity management system will assist organisations in making that a reality. 

Grants

Governments provide grants to organisations they identify as doing good work or having enormous potential to supply something beneficial to the public. Grants usually consist of a large sum of money which can be used for a very long period. Most often, it funds an organisation for specific amounts of years. A charity management system can help even when this fundraising method is chosen. For instance, grants require a high level of transparency, with detailed reports to be submitted to the government or state organisation in question. Having a charity management system that automates all documentation and ensures that the vendor has infused analytics into their solution allows for detailed reports to be produced, specifying hidden insights which would have taken human experts a long time to find. The reports generated take a step further to demonstrate the organisation’s progress, proving how much of a public benefit has been made. A charity management system, in essence, helps non-profits to hold a positive reputation as a transparent organisation and influences others to provide grants in the future. 

Membership Campaigns

Membership campaigns are small-scale campaigns that do not incur a financial burden upon any donor. Any person who has the financial means can opt for a plan where they can donate a small fee every month. The biggest advantage of such a fundraising method is that organisations have an active database of donors who are interested and loyal to their work. A charity management system in this regard helps organisations to stay on track with each donor. The system creates individual profiles that list the projects they contribute to and generates a receipt for every donation. It moreover allows donors to benefit from gaining recognition or invites to events that include high-profile people. A charity management system removes the stress of handling such a database by enabling organisations to gain everything they need to know about the donor with just a glance and send invites or any benefits they believe would interest the donor. 

Telemarketing and Text-to-Give

A typical go-to fundraising method includes telemarketing, also known as phone-a-thons. This requires a large group of volunteers to take cold calls to potential donors. An excellent script for such purposes is key to succeeding in this method. This is a great way to engage with potential donors and clarify their questions. A more convenient way to communicate with donors in a modern way would be text-to-give. A concise text will instruct potential donors to transfer funds in a specific method. For example, organisations can request donations in the form of mobile credit, which can be sent to a particular number that automatically translates to a specific amount of money when it is transferred. Sometimes they will receive a donor link to their webpage that allows them to donate online. Whatever method an organisation chooses, a charity management system becomes helpful as, for one thing, it automates all texts, thereby easily sending them to a targetted audience in one go. In relation to calls, it helps volunteers to keep track of the people they talk to, as a charity management system offers a short overview of the person in the system. 

Events

One of the grandest ways to host a fundraiser is through an event. It could be something fancy as a gala, competitive, like an auction, entertaining, like a concert or something open for all, like a thrift shop. Often, the event itself is sponsored by a donor, allowing a range of potential donors to attend the event and build meaningful relations with each other. This offers an opportunity for the organisation to get to know donors and understand their interests. These events also provide opportunities to accept donations, not in the form of cash, but in terms of other resources organisations have been lacking. A charity management system helps non-profits in the organisation of such events. Whether it is finding a venue, volunteering, sending invites to donors, receiving their confirmation or anything else, a charity management system can help streamline and keep all members up-to-date on each process. As a charity management system integrates all organisation departments into one system, every member can see the progress until the actual event. 

Fundraising Just Got a Whole Lot Easier With a Charity Management System

It is up to each non-profit organisation to be creative in its fundraising efforts. It takes lots of planning and organisation to find a fundraising method which can drive out as much finance or resources. You can either use one or more method to achieve your target but adopting any one of them will not guarantee that donations will be provided. Having a smart solution, such as a charity management system, can help you find the right audience. Identify your loyal donors with the help of a charity management system whilst enjoying a range of other benefits such a solution offers.