Personal Fundraising Blog

Updated links to Free Nonprofit Resources

Our site has undergone a slight redesign and we ended up moving things around.  Here are updated links to free materials that are downloaded frequently.

Press Release Template

This template gives you a general format for a press release. Insert your own information.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Silent Auction Bid Sheet Template

This template gives you a basic form that you can use to collect bids during your silent auction.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Pledge Event Donation Tracking Sheet

A template for tracking sheets to be used by pledge event participants to keep track of the donations they gather toward their effort.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Event Thank You Letter Template

This template gives you a basic form letter that you can edit or paste into an email to thank people who attended your event.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

If you need something else just ask.  We probably have it in the archives somewhere.  Good luck and happy fundraising!

Top 10 Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Should Have A Viral Fundraising Campaign

"In a time when major donors and sponsors have decided to run and hide, viral fundraising programs have increasingly become the fundraising apparatus of choice for orgs that need to cost effectively raise a lot of money in a short period of time."

Me

(I've been on this soapbox since 2002, so I'm allowed to quote myself.)

Here's  a list of reasons why you need to add a viral fundraising campaign to your fundraising portfolio.

1. Viral fundraising programs are cost effective.  You don't even need to have an actual event.  No huge gala to pay for.  No tickets to sell or banquet halls to rent.  Just volunteers and friends reaching out to their networks on your behalf.
2. Viral fundraising programs have high response rates.  A typical mailing by a nonprofit will get  3% response rate.  Viral fundraising programs experience a 40-80% response rate.  If we assume a modest 50% response rate, then a mere 60 people reaching out to 10 of their friends will raise as much as a mailing to 10,000 people.  Get rid of the stamps and envelopes.  Ask more people to raise money.
3. Viral fundraising programs can generate revenue quickly.  With some planning, effective campaigns can be up and running within a few weeks.  Finding a major donor can take years.  Planning a gala event takes months and costs a lot!
4. Viral fundraising programs can be paperless.  Everything can be done online.  To learn more, check out SWEET.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/main/SWEET/
5. Viral fundraising programs are limited only by your creativity.  They can be walkathons, bike rides, virtual events, whatever you want.  Just give people an excuse and forum in which they can ask for money and raise it on your behalf. 
6. Viral fundraising programs turn volunteers into revenue generators.  Lets face it, volunteers are cost centers.  Volunteers that raise money for you are revenue generators. 
7. Viral fundraising programs exponentially increase awareness of your organization.  Just look at some of the Facebook causes.  It's not difficult to get 10,000 or even 100,000 people to recognize your cause.  You have to do more than Facebook to generate revenue though.
8. Viral fundraising programs expand the reach of your development staff.  Hmm let's see.  Do I want my development director and the development associate to be responsible for all the asking?  Or do I want to get hundreds of volunteer fundraisers to do the asking as well.  I think the latter.  It scales a lot better.  Expand your reach by decentralizing your ask.  Ask more often and receive more often.
9. Viral fundraising programs can generate large sums.  The Pan Mass Challenge raised over $30 million in 2008.  Even modest campaigns can generate $100K to $200K.
10. Viral fundraising programs will bring your development portfolio into the new millennium.  Seriously, enough with the bulk mail houses.  97% of your postcards end up in the trash.  That's a waste.  Use the tools available to you and the prevailing social consciousness in 2009.  People want to help you - for free!  Let them.

SWEET Viral fundraising platform hits Canada

Viral fundraising campaigns are becoming vital components of nonprofit fundraising portfolios.  And it's not just in the form of walkathons and events.

The Darling Home for Kids, http://www.darlinghomeforkids.ca/, in Milton, Ontario started a viral fundraising campaign using SWEET software to meet the revenue needs of a specific program.

Their Build a Wall Challenge is a viral fundraising campaign.  The proceeds form this program will be used to complete Phase II of a construction project that will increase the capacity of the Darling Home.  More info can be found here.  http://www.darlinghomeforkids.ca/index.cfm?id=13651

In a time when major donors and sponsors have decided to run and hide, viral fundraising programs have increasingly become the fundraising apparatus of choice for orgs that need to cost effectively raise a lot of money in a short period of time.

For us, it was a great opportunity to add the business logic required for Canadian nonprofit organizations to the the SWEET Viral and Pledge Fundraising Platform.

More info on the Build a Wall Challenge can be found here http://wall.darlinghomeforkids.ca/.

More info on on SWEET cna be found on the Blue Sky Collaborative web site.  http://blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/main/SWEET/