Are you looking to manage a fundraiser but feel like you don’t have the time or knowledge to do it all on your own?
Have no fear! There are many tools out there that can help make the process easier.
In this post, we will discuss some of the most popular tools and how they’ll help manage your fundraiser from start to finish.
So, whether you’re just starting out or you’re in the middle of planning your next fundraiser, read on to learn about several valuable tools to make your fundraiser a success!
Website
The first tool you’ll need for your fundraiser is a website. Your website will be the central hub for all your fundraising activities. Here, you’ll be able to post updates, share information about your cause, and accept donations.
However, you must ensure the website’s design is professional, neat, and user-friendly. Otherwise, potential donors may be turned off and less likely to give.
Plus, be sure to make a mobile-responsive website as more and more people are using their phones to browse the internet.
How to build a website?
You’ll find plenty of online website builders like WordPress, Wix, and Weebly that will make the process easy. Just choose a website theme, add your content, and you will be good to go.
Payment Gateway
Next, you’ll need a payment gateway to accept online donations. A payment gateway is a service that allows you to process credit card payments online.
There are plenty of payment gateways to choose from, but donors prefer to use secured and well-known options. For example, PayPal is a popular option as it’s easy to set up and use. Another option is Stripe, which is a bit more technical but offers more features and customization options.
But remember that not every community member may have a credit card. So, do not limit your payment options; always offer other donation options like mailing a check or giving cash.
Crowdfunding Page
Setting up a crowdfunding page is an excellent option if you’re looking to raise money for a specific project or cause. Crowdfunding pages allow you to solicit donations from a large group of people, usually through social media.
These pages can be creatively designed to include inspiring photos and videos to tell your story and engage potential donors. You can even display how much you’ve managed to raise and need to reach a goal. This inspires potential donors to give as they can see the direct impact of their donation.
If you want a standalone crowdfunding page instead of a complete website, you can choose from a ton of crowdfunding platforms. For example, if you’re raising money for a medical procedure, you may want to use GoFundMe. And, if you’re raising money for a charity, you may want to use JustGiving.
ProTip: Many of these crowdfunding sites make their money by keeping a portion of the donations, so be sure to account for that when you set up the campaign. Read the fine print, so you understand exactly what to expect from the chosen platform.
Email Management Tool
Another tool you’ll need for your fundraiser is an email management tool. This will allow you to run an email campaign to get the word out about your fundraiser and solicit donations.
It will also help you organize and respond to emails quickly. You’d be able to track which emails have been sent, received, and replied to. This is especially helpful if you have many donors.
Moreover, you can create automated email responses to save time by not having to respond manually to every email you receive.
Klayvio, Mailerlite, Mail Chimp, Constant Contact and Aweber are some great options for email management tools.
Graphic Design
Since first impressions matter, you must ensure your fundraiser’s materials look great. This is where graphic design comes in.
Graphic design can help you create professional-looking flyers, posters, and social media posts to promote your fundraiser.
Canva is a great, user-friendly option for creating designs. It lets you create designs from scratch or edit pre-made templates. Plus, it has a library of photos, illustrations, and icons that you can use for free. Or you can purchase its premium version to get access to even more features.
Another web-based resource that is great for creating designs on the fly is Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark). If you possess the technical design skills or want to learn them, Photoshop is a powerful option with lots of advanced features.
However, if you won’t have ongoing work, you can hire a freelance graphic designer to complete your project. Fiverr is one of our favorites.
Social Media
Social media is a great way to promote your fundraiser and reach a larger audience. You can use platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram to share your story, photos, and videos. You can also use social media to drive traffic to your crowdfunding page or website.
Plus, you can use social media to engage with potential donors and answer any questions they may have.
You’ll need to create social media accounts for your organization or fundraiser to get started. Then, you can start posting updates and sharing your story.
You can also use social media to run ads to reach a larger audience. For example, Facebook lets you target people based on their interests, demographics, and location.
This can help you reach potential donors who may not be aware of your fundraiser.
Online Forms
Online forms are another tool that can be helpful for your fundraiser. You can use them to collect contact information from potential donors. This information can then be used to add people to your email list or follow up with them later.
Online forms can also be used to collect donations. This is especially helpful if you’re using a crowdfunding platform that doesn’t have its own donation feature.
There are a ton of online form builders that you can use. Some of them are free, while others have paid plans.
Google Forms, Typeform, and JotForm are some popular options. Both platforms offer a wide range of features and integrations.
Benefits Of Using Tools for Managing Your Fundraiser
Tools make your life easier!
They help you:
- Collect data
- Track emails
- Automate processes
- Reach a larger audience
- Create beautiful designs
- Receive payments securely
- And do so much more!
When you use the right tools for your fundraiser, you can save time and energy. This gives you more time to focus on your story and connect with potential donors.
But imagine you had access to several tools in one place instead of managing them all separately.
An all-in-one solution for your fundraiser would make things even easier!
This is what LeanStream does. We offer an integrated fundraising management solution that supports both online and offline donations, social media sharing, concurrent fundraising campaigns, branded fundraising site, and more. The best part is we provide all these services in one place, so you can focus on your fundraiser instead of managing multiple tools. Get in touch with us to learn more!
