![Procurios Logo](/ui/procurios-2019/img/header/logo.svg?v=2") }}){kind=logo}
What is fundraising?
Fundraising is primarily associated with charities, but associations can also use it to generate additional income. In this article, we explain exactly what fundraising entails and what an association can gain from it. We will also share some tips to get started.
The Meaning of Fundraising
If you ask Claude AI for a definition of fundraising, you get the following answer: "Fundraising is a strategic process in which organizations, mostly non-profit institutions or charities, try to collect financial resources in order to realize their mission and goals. It involves various methods of obtaining money, donations, and other forms of support from individuals, businesses, governments, foundations, and other potential donors." Fundraising helps various non-profit organizations, foundations, and associations to raise money so that they can carry out their activities, continue to exist, and grow. As a fundraiser, you are therefore involved in recruiting sponsors and donors who want to support the organization.
What Fundraising Brings to an Association
Seeking sponsors and setting up activities that can raise funds takes time and energy and therefore does not always have priority. Often, these types of projects are shelved with the idea that they will be picked up when things are 'a bit quieter'. But those moments are scarce and usually, there are other things to do, such as updating the membership administration. Yet it is worth giving fundraising more priority. Because when fundraising is deployed smartly, it becomes easier to achieve the short- and long-term goals of the association. Moreover, you can develop fundraising both online and offline, making the threshold to start relatively low. For example, you could experiment with an action platform where members can start their own actions to raise donations for your association. We'll highlight a few reasons why fundraising is important and practically feasible for associations:
-
Financial resources: for many associations it is a challenge to balance the budget every year. Fundraising can provide that extra financial breathing space, which can absorb uncertainties in the budget and, if the fundraising activities are a success, new initiatives can be developed.
-
Visibility: fundraising can increase the visibility of an association. By actively raising funds and communicating about the association's goals, the association can become more known to the public.
-
Community building: fundraising can help build a community around the association. By bringing members, sponsors and donors together in an online, private environment, a sense of involvement and connection can be created that you can nurture through active moderation and participation.
How do you get started with fundraising?
The most important thing to start with is asking the why question. Why should people sponsor the association and make donations? Why is the association worth investing time and/or money in? With the answer to these questions, you can start fundraising in a targeted manner. It is important to build a relationship with people outside the association and involve them in what you do, so that they see what the association has to offer. Offline, you can start a fundraising campaign such as a sponsored walk and organize events or festivals. Online fundraising is done by, for example, approaching companies and running a social media campaign. You want to create as much awareness for your association as possible. In everything you do, one of the goals should be that people will talk about your association. This way, more and more people hear what you do and why you are relevant.
What techniques are used in fundraising?
If you want to start fundraising, there are various techniques that you can use as an association. It is important that associations use various fundraising techniques and experiment to discover which techniques are most effective for their specific situation. We will highlight the various fundraising techniques for you:
-
Donations are an effective way to raise money for an association, but it is also important to know how to best approach this. For example, it is important to communicate a clear message to donors and potential donors. This can be done through newsletters, marketing automation, social media and personal conversations. To approach this strategically, you map out the donor journey.
-
Sponsoring is a commonly used method of fundraising for associations. This involves working with companies that want to invest money in a specific project or event of the association. It is important to look closely at the match between the association and the company. After all, it is not only important to raise money, but also that the relationship between the sponsor and the association is a logical one and that both can strengthen each other.
-
Crowdfunding can be very effective for associations. It uses online platforms where people can donate money for a specific cause or project. It is important to have a clear goal and an appealing message, so that people feel called to donate.
-
Organizing events is also a common way of fundraising for associations. This can include an auction, a lottery, a benefit concert or a sponsored walk. It is important to think carefully about the type of event that best suits the association and the goal they want to achieve.
In addition, associations can also make use of subsidies. They can receive financial support from governments or other organizations for specific projects or activities. It is important to be well informed about the possibilities and criteria for applying for subsidies, so that the association can make optimal use of them.
It is always worthwhile to explore new opportunities to generate income. Even if it does not immediately make sense for your association to raise funds, there are several options, one or more of which may still suit your association. Are you unsure whether fundraising is something for your association? Then try to start a pilot based on the tips in this article and set limited goals. This way you can gain experience without immediately having to make a large investment and you can better determine whether fundraising suits your association.
