Here at Digital Mountaineers, we’re all about knowledge sharing. Gatekeeping is a thing of the past, more on that topic here! Our friends over at Sparktoro share that belief as well. They recently published a blog in which they are open sourcing their most recent fundraising model. It really got us thinking about our Positive Impact Organization clients and how it can be repurposed to help them raise funds in innovative ways.
We love repurposing ideas from other industries or organizations that don’t appear to have much in common. In general, we find that’s where the creativity gets sparked. If everyone is doing the same thing or raising money the same way, how on earth can you stand out? That’s what we did when we repurposed the traditional Buyer Persona into a Donor Persona, which you can read more about here.
In the Sparktoro blog, their founder discusses his venture into indie video game production. So…how might that relate to fundraising for your Positive Impact Organization you may ask? Sure, they were searching for a very specific type of investor, which may not be able to be replicated step by step, but ahem…angel donors exist, and so the model can apply to you. Overall, we feel that reading through their funding efforts can help strengthen your existing fundraising strategies.
Whether you’re looking to find larger donations from a small group of people or secure smaller donations from a large group of people, there are several important takeaways for you to consider for you’re next fundraising cycle.
Identify the type of funding you seek (and why)
No matter the project you are looking to fund, laying out the request in a clear and concise way is critical. Equally as important – crystalizing your WHY. Everyone fundraises, everyone needs money to accomplish what they set out to. The thing that will set you apart is the heart of why you do it. Storytelling is key here. The way you convey your why can make all the difference for a donor. Be sure to craft and workshop your copy with a professional writer, or utilize the talent on your team.
Pitch Deck
Be sure to have a current pitch deck specifically for donors readily available & quickly accessible. In addition to including your organization’s mission & vision, be specific about how & where donations will be spent, along with timelines of monies to be spent. Include past year program reports to earn trust and to show that donated money is well spent to help the organization’s vision become a reality. Create a web page specifically for donors where all of this information is laid out. You want to ensure ease of navigation as they research so they don’t need to do any extra heavy lifting. A video on this page would also be incredibly helpful as seeing and hearing a real person can add a personal touch to an otherwise sterile ask. Depending on your organization’s capacity, dedicate an email address or a point person that can be listed to handle any questions potential donors may have.
Open Access Documents Folder
Sparktoro used a version of this for their investors that was a big game changer. It could be incredibly helpful for a donor to view important documents related to your organization, such as your 501c3 info, previous tax information, any legal docs that would pertain to a donor, plans for the quarter/year, events that will require funding, etc. Being upfront and organized about your history will catapult you into the future you plan for.
Be specific & transparent
Laying out all of these items can be time consuming on the front-end, but the results will be well worth it! As a Positive Impact Organization, transparency is everything. People want to know that their contributions will truly be making a difference, and the best way to do that is to be direct and honest about what your organization’s needs are in order to do the work. Radical honesty will also set you apart from other organizations.
Host private donor events
Donor events don’t have to be extravagant, but they should be intentional and joyful. Gather together in someone’s home, make it a potluck, and take care of the folks who are potential donors. Events like this can help your donors get to know your organization on a deeper level and also reinvigorate your team in remembering why they too are invested in the cause.
Let donors get to know you & your team
One of the reasons we just love the Sparktoro blog so much is because it always feels personal. While we may not know their team personally, the way they write lets us into their interpersonal dynamics and that makes the team feel relatable. This appeals most to Millennials and Gen-Z donors who truly care about learning about the who and why behind a cause. Of course, this is dependent on your team and how comfortable they feel sharing personal details, but it can be an important conversation to have with your team. It can truly help your organization stand out.
At the end of the day, no matter how you get to your bottom line, we are so inspired to be in community with such wonderful Positive Impact Organizations. Thank you to Sparktoro for being a leader in knowledge sharing and open sourcing tools that can help nonprofits make a huge impact.
Let us know if you try out any of these tips. We’d love to hear from you!
