2020-21 has been a challenging period for most nonprofits. With the shift to online, many organizations struggled to keep up and evolve their fundraising initiatives. As we near the year-end, if you’re still trying to meet your fundraising goals, know that all is not lost. You can still turn things around with a technology-driven and online-based year-end fundraising campaign that is not only easy to implement, but also provides a high return on investment (ROI).
Did you know: 12% of annual giving is done in the last 3 days of the year, from December 29 to December 31 and that 31% of annual giving is usually done in December alone.
The Christmas spirit inspires togetherness and support. So, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most important periods as far as fundraising is concerned. In this article, you will learn the importance of utilizing technology for fundraising and how it can help your nonprofit prepare for the perfect year-end fundraising campaign.
Benefits of virtual fundraising
The internet proved to be an indispensable tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing nonprofits to raise money despite lockdowns and social distancing.
According to a OneCause study, 62% of nonprofits that converted to a virtual fundraising event saw success and are more likely to be raising at or above their original fundraising goals. These results have proven that the internet will continue to be an important fundraising tool, even as people slowly inch back to their ‘normal’ lives.
There are many ways to raise funds online; however, none are as engaging and attractive as gaming-based fundraising which involves virtual events such as 50/50, Catch the Ace and Sweepstakes. These are run over several days or months and they give donors/participants a chance to win money or prizes in return for their donation.
One of the great perks of online gaming-based fundraising is that it can help your nonprofit increase engagement, drive acquisition and retain donors. With the pandemic still raging among us, don't expect people to attend in-person events as they did before. Online charity raffles allow people to participate in the event without ever leaving their homes.
Additionally, due to the online nature of these events, they help reduce operational costs and increase ROI, all while providing access to real-time reporting and analytics. For any nonprofit, this is certainly an avenue of fundraising that is not only recommended but imperative for success.
Related: An Introduction to Online Gaming-based Fundraising for Nonprofits