Most nonprofit organizations host fundraising events to raise money and awareness for their cause. There are several good reasons to host fundraising events. But your organization may not realize that the type of fundraiser you choose says a lot about your brand and organization. Therefore, consider how your fundraiser can help you communicate your mission and strengthen awareness of your brand and cause when planning your fundraisers.
Choose a Fundraiser In-Line with Your Brand Positioning
When selecting the type of fundraiser you will host, looking at the core of your business is the best place to start. What is the mission of your organization and the message you are trying to communicate? How can you create a fundraising campaign that will help you spread awareness of your brand and cause and appeal to your supporters while helping to accomplish your financial goals? One idea is to host a unique fundraising event that directly ties into your organization’s mission.
Here are a couple of examples:
- An organization raising money for the homeless organizes an Athon event variation such as a serve-a-thon where participants raise pledges in support of helping those less fortunate. This can be accomplished by serving food at a homeless shelter, sewing blankets for the homeless, etc.
- An environmental organization hosts a hike-a-thon and trail clean-up fundraising event. This type of fundraiser allows the organization to raise money for its cause while communicating the core mission of its brand by cleaning up the environment.
Keep in mind that hosting a unique event isn’t only a great way to strengthen your brand positioning by connecting your message to your fundraising event, but it’s also a great way to differentiate yourself. After all, nonprofits, schools, and community organizations host fundraisers year-round. Rather than being pigeonholed into the same category of fundraiser that everyone else is doing, why not do something that differentiates your organization? These ideas will be sure to help you receive attention from media and donations from current supporters and community members.
Seek Like-Minded Brands for Sponsorships
If you are considering reaching out to local businesses to sponsor your fundraising event, be sure to consider the impact the partnership will have on your brand. You will want to reach out to like-minded companies that share similar values and reach similar customers.
To illustrate, imagine this scenario:
The environmental organization we mentioned above hosts a trail clean-up event to raise funds and clean up local trails. When seeking sponsors, the organization should look for companies that also value conservation. Many businesses now invest in programs to lighten their footprint on the environment. If they were to partner with a company that produced mass amounts of catalogs and did not source sustainable paper production or encourage recycling, this could create a conflicting message.
Share Your Vision with Participants and Volunteers
Be sure to clearly explain your mission and reason for the fundraising event to all who are involved with the campaign. Participants and volunteers become the champions of your brand, and their actions reflect positively or negatively on your brand. Participants are the ones reaching out to friends and family to solicit online donations. In doing so, they are telling your brand story. Not only do you want to be sure they are educated on your brand values and the cause of the fundraiser, but you’ll also want to be sure they have the P2P fundraising tools and materials they need to solicit donations with tact. Similarly, volunteers working your event become the face of your organization. These people are the ones having direct contact with customers, donors, potential supporters, and the local community. Be sure they are educated, well-versed, and able to represent your brand in a positive light.
Read more on creating a unique nonprofit brand.
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