Unless you are 100% Government grant led then fundraising is important to the efficient running of your NFP. Therefore every NFP wants to understand how they can build their fundraising capacity to further their work and cause. Are there any secrets?

Being online is one approach that you can use to get your story across in a precise and colourful way. If you are not online then you are missing big opportunities to gain contributions from a very wide audience. You will find that at least a website and a couple of social media pages including Facebook and LinkedIn are necessary to spread the word about your organisation. Make sure it is easy to identify as the official representation of your group, by using official logos and letterheads. Add photos and vital details to demonstrate the dimensions of your organisation, and give viewers as full a picture as you can of your real-world operations.

You may think your NFP fundraising methods are working, and there is no reason to change but in fact, it is always useful to review and adapt fundraising plans for new opportunities you may have missed. It may that you need more team members, more diversity or more knowledge brought to the group. Everyone has a particular skill and having people knowledgeable in such areas as fundraising reports, creating fundraising materials and generating lists is highly valuable.

One way which seems to boost the number of donors dramatically is their understanding of where the money will actually be going, how it will be used and how much a difference they can make. Why not share with your donors how different amounts of money can affect your overall operation. And of course, don’t forget to thank them for their donations. We all have a natural need to help others, but sometimes we need a little push in the right direction to create the necessary action that will benefit your NFP and your cause. And don’t forget to ensure that the whole process only takes a few simple steps from start to finish. Smartphone technology seems to be helping in this area and simplifying things with apps.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with your fundraising techniques. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by opting for out of the box opportunities. Sponsorship may even be one such avenue. Note, when it comes to finding sponsors or those willing to hand over their hard earned funds to support your organisation, a quality partnership must be established; one built on trust and understanding.

It is important that you take advantage of every and any avenue presented to you and always remain authentic and true to your NFP. Once you see the donations roll in regularly, then you know you are doing more than a few things right.