It’s Halloween time, and if that is not scary enough, that means the holidays are right around the corner. And the holidays are the busiest time of the year for a lot of us personally as well as for those of us involved with fundraising.
It is an opportune time to raise funds. And many nonprofits raise most of their funds at year-end. November and December are the two biggest months for fundraising. So even though the Halloween candy is still fresh and at the ready to distribute to those little trick-or-treaters, it’s not too early to plan a one-time fundraiser related to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or to take advantage of year-end tax deductions.
Many of your supporters/donors are motivated to give to worthy causes and help others in the last few months of the year. They want to improve their communities, support their favorite schools or teams, and many feel generous around the holidays. They want to be connected to something positive. Help them feel good about themselves, and plan a one-time fundraiser.
Take these three steps to run a holiday fundraiser:
- Plan your strategy – decide what you’re selling and the timeframe in which to raise funds. Can you leverage the world’s largest giving movement and incorporate Giving Tuesday into your strategy (this year Tuesday, December 3)?
- Follow Best Practices – clearly state your ask, communicate what your funds will be used for, then make it easy to give and thank them!
- Promote, Promote, Promote – use your donor/supporter list, send emails, post on your social sites, send a snail mail letter, post a call to action with a link to the giving site on your website
You will no doubt be successful and raise substantial funds as there are countless one-off products that can be sold for gifts around this time of year. Many sites sell candy, candles, popcorn, and even seasonal plants like poinsettias. Most of these items can make great gifts. People will be buying something that they actually need or want to give as a gift. This is also true of the several products, entertainment, and travel options for sale on an Inspire.World ecommerce platform fundraiser with the Inspire.WorldPerks app.
Remember we are here to partner with you to raise funds. We can help ensure your success with a holiday fundraiser.