The first cell phone came into being just 30 years ago. Our cell phones have been able to connect to the Internet for just 15 years. And just within the past 2 years, mobile giving has passed fundraising through desktop – we are online on our phones more than we are on our computers. That is a lot of technological change in a very short amount of time. Of course, nonprofits must adapt to keep up. If you didn’t grow up around technology like the millennial generation, how can you adopt the latest technology trends to help nonprofit organizations more efficiently?

Online fundraising accumulates millions of dollars every year using various online fundraising methods like online donations, ticketed events, text giving, or mobile giving.

To make the donation process easy for you, here are some features and methods of the iConnectX online donation process. iConnectX tool is easy for donors to use for all levels of nonprofit fundraising. There are several fundraising sites available for both individuals and nonprofits. iConnectX has made it possible for both.

iConnectX’s user-friendly platform enables anyone to set up a fundraising page to raise funds for the cause you are passionate about.

iConnectX has set itself as a platform for nonprofit fundraising to help nonprofits reach their goals.

Support Your Cause

Promote donations from your advocacy site in iConnectX, your fundraisers and events. Any collected monies are sent to your nonprofit weekly.

Increase Your Donations

Solicit donations on your advocacy page within iConnectX, also on your fundraisers and in your event pages. We make it easy by integrating the payment form from a single click button. Payments are sent to your nonprofit directly.

Fundraising Tool to Watch

iConnectX has features a new set of online fundraising tools that are timely and relevant for the year to come. This year’s tools tap into fundraising trends that have emerged because of the COVID19 pandemic, from text giving or mobile giving to virtual events to online donations for nonprofits.

In this guide, we will deep dive to understand the online donations process, new fundraising trends and more. Nonprofits are not immune to the new changes and COVID19 has forced many nonprofits cancel their fundraising events resulting loss of revenue to support the cause.

Turning one-time donors into recurring donors remains one of the major challenges for nonprofits. The benefits of recurring donations are obvious – more funds and the ability to plan more events and programs. Due to the cancelation of nonprofit events, nonprofits losing the funds.

iConnectX, a fundraising tool for nonprofits, offering a platform for millions of 501c charities to create virtual events, online auctions, ticketed events, online donations for charities and more. In this guide, we will deep dive to understand the iConnectX’s Online Donation process.

How to Accept Donations Online

• Select the nonprofits based on City or Industry to make online donation
• Go to the nonprofit page and click on Donate button
• Choose the option to donate with or without registering on iConnectX
• Enter the amount to donate and other details
• Save your details for future recurring donations
• Receive the receipt on your registered mail for your donation

What Are the Best Nonprofits to Make Donations?

Once if you have decided that you want to support a cause based on your interest. The next process is to find the best nonprofits based on industry or city that will use your fund to make impact on the community. If you are making donations then it should not be hard, iConnectX have brought you more than best charities to donate to and 1.5 million non-boarded charities to donate to on our platform. Whether you are looking for charities supporting coronavirus programs or charities doing educational work – iConnectX has listed nonprofit for every cause. Find the list of best charities to donate to.

What is Charitable Giving and Its Different Types?

Ever since the world came into existence, there has been a clear divide between the “haves and the have-nots.” We have a world in which the rich and poor, strong and weak co-exist. Charitable Giving is the act of giving to help those in need to enhance their quality of life.

It is altruistic giving when you give without expecting anything in return. It is an act that shows the compassion and empathy of the giver.

Most of us are bogged down by the demands of our everyday lives. We are so busy sorting out our own troubles that we become oblivious to the needs of others. Charitable giving takes place when an individual is able to rise above his personal problems and donate to the needy. It is an act of kindness that helps society at large.

Many people think that charity and giving are things done by the affluent people in society. However, charitable giving is not about what or how much you give, it is more about the attitude of giving.

Charitable giving need not always be monetary donations, you can give in other ways too! You can “give” your time and efforts while working as a volunteer for a cause.

It is said that “Charity begins at home.” However, it originates in the heart when an individual feels the urge to give despite his circumstances!

What is the Purpose of Charitable Giving?

The purpose of charitable giving is a public benefit. It is done to provide support and assistance to people across the globe who find it difficult to meet their basic needs.

Charities donate to victims of wars or natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. Non-profits and charitable organizations also raise funds to support those in need of medical aid, food, shelter, and other fundamental needs. Charities also help weaker sections of the society, orphans, and many others.

During the pandemic situation, several charities have come forward and collected donations in cash and kind to help those in need.

In the US charitable giving is encouraged by the government also by offering tax-saving incentives to donors based on the type of charitable giving they participate in.

Let’s take a deeper look at the tax deductions associated with charitable giving:

If you are looking for tax savings through charitable giving, you must ensure that the recipient of your donation must qualify for the tax-exempt status according to the tax code as determined by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).

For a certain type of donation, the deductible amount is calculated based on the donation. For instance, in the “quid pro quo” type of donations, the donor receives an economic benefit every time he donates a gift to a charity.

You can get a tax deduction even when you donate items like old clothes, vehicles, household items, etc. However, the donated items must be in good/running condition. Such items are usually donated to charities like the Salvation Army, etc. The tax deducted depends on the fair market value of the item being donated at the time of donation.

Tax codes may change and higher ceilings may be applicable for specific situations, for instance, recovery from a disaster, etc. In the wake of the pandemic, the ceiling for deductions for cash contributions has been increased for 2020. However, this higher ceiling is not applicable for non-cash donations.

These are some of the basic rules that can help you choose the best types of charitable giving. There are several ways in which you can donate with the tax advantage.

Here’s a List of Popular Strategies for Tax Saving Charitable Giving:

Cash Donations: It is the most straightforward way to contribute to a charity. You need to bear in mind that cash donations can get you tax deductions so make sure that you collect a receipt for your donation. Some charitable organizations may ask the donor for financial documentation like a bank statement or a canceled check. Hence, ensure that you have all the required documentation handy before you donate.

Donor-Advised Funds: In this type of giving, the donor needs to create a donor-advised fund through which he can allocate funds to charities of his choice. Donor-advised funds offer the maximum tax benefits.

Real Estate: Donating real estate to charity brings in sizable tax benefits. A donor has the option to donate his existing home to charity after his death, where the deed is transferred to the charity after the death of the donor. The estate tax for the property gets lowered by an amount equal to the value of the property.

Securities: You can consider donating appreciated securities like stocks to charities as well. This helps you save on the capitals gains tax. If you donate stocks that are over a year old and if their cost has increased, you are eligible for a deduction by an amount equivalent to their full market value.

Donating Assets: Tangible assets like art, jewelry, etc. can also be donated. Even with these donations, the donor is eligible for a tax deduction. You will need to get an independent appraisal of your assets worth $5000 and above. You qualify for a higher tax deduction when you donate an asset that is relevant to the charity. For instance, when you donate assets like relics to a historical museum, you can get a higher deduction in your taxes.

You have several options for asset donation with different types of tax benefits. For instance, donating your life insurance policy or retirement accounts, not only gets you an income tax deduction but also avoids tax liability of tax-deferred accounts. These donations can reduce your estate tax as well.

Charitable Trusts: You can establish a Charitable Lead Trust(CLT) and donate funds from the trust to a charity annually for a specified period. The tax deduction you can get for a CLT is assessed based on the income stream you generate for the charity.

Pooled Income Fund: A group of people can pool funds and securities to create a corpus. All members of the group receive cash and securities as income from this pool periodically. A specific amount is set aside for donations later. In case of the death of any member of the group, the remaining funds are donated to a charity of the donor’s choice. In this type of charitable giving, the individual is eligible for a tax deduction equivalent to the amount the recipient of charity receives.

Private Foundation: A private foundation is usually set up by people with significant assets. They may establish a charitable trust or corporation to contribute to a charity they are passionate about. It helps them establish a legacy with which their families can associate for generations. There stringent regulations for running private foundations, but the owners have complete control over how the funds are utilized. Private foundations can use funds as grants for individuals, international grants, scholarships, program investments, and many more.

If you are considering year-end strategies for charitable giving, you could itemize your deductions, and opt for any of the above charitable contributions to reduce your tax bills.

Tips to plan your charitable giving:

• Donate Long-term appreciated securities instead of cash.
• Bunching your donations is beneficial. Bunching implies concentrating all your deductions in one year and then skipping one or two years.
• Maximize your tax deductions with donor-advised funds.
• Offset tax costs involved in converting traditional IRA to a Roth IRA by choosing charitable donations.
• Asset donations help increase tax deductions.

Another important aspect of charitable giving for tax deduction is documentation.

Some of the paperwork required to be done is:

• IRS Form 1040 needs to be filed by individual taxpayers to claim tax benefits.
• IRS Form 8283 must be filed along with tax returns in case of noncash donations above $500.
• Taxpayers need to maintain a detailed record as documentary evidence for their charitable contributions throughout the year.
• Donors claiming tax deductions against cash donations are required to provide a written record, canceled check, or a bank/payroll debit.
• For contributions over $250 in cash or kind, the donor will need an acknowledgment from the recipient charity. This acknowledgment must include details such as the amount donated if any goods or services were provided to the donor along with their fair market value.
• If you are donating property or assets like art, etc. independent appraisal of their worth is mandatory.

In addition to these, other documents are required which an expert can guide you through.

So, if you are looking for ways of donating to charities while saving on your taxes, you could consider one or more of these options. It is recommended that you consult legal, tax, and financial experts.

You can make an impact with your charitable giving while enjoying some tax benefits. Choose your charities and strategist your giving so that you benefit and make a difference to society!

Are you using a fundraising thermometer for your nonprofit? Did you know that they are the easiest way to track your fundraising goal? Besides, they offer complete transparency about your nonprofit to your donors!

Most nonprofits are already using fundraising thermometers for managing their fundraising. If you have not started using one, it’s time you did too!

Here’s a quick overview of the fundraising thermometer:

What is a fundraising thermometer?

We know that a thermometer checks the temperature of something. On the same lines, a fundraising thermometer indicates how “hot” your fundraising campaign is! Simply put, a fundraising thermometer indicates the amount of funds your fundraising campaign has generated. It is essentially like a fundraising goal tracker that helps you assess how close or far you are from your fundraising goals.

It is a way of displaying to the audience using the symbol of a thermometer with the analogy of temperature rise. As the temperature in the fundraising thermometer moves from cold to hot, it indicates that the donations are getting closer to the target goal. So, the hottest temperature is reached when the fundraiser reaches its goal.

Fundraising thermometers are known by different names fundraising meter, donation thermometer, or goal thermometer.

Why must you use a fundraising thermometer?

1. Visual Confirmation of Donation

When a donor contributes to a fundraising campaign and he sees the rise in the reading on the fundraising goal thermometer, he gets a visual confirmation of his donation. It is an established fact that visuals have a greater impact on people.

This helps the nonprofit offer complete transparency to its donors. This goes on to build trust and loyalty among the donors.

2. Encourage Donations

When donors see the reading on the thermometer slowly inching towards its fundraising goal, they are motivated to donate more to speed up the process.

A fundraising thermometer is extremely effective in encouraging donors to help the nonprofit reach its goals.

When the nonprofit reach its goals, the donors feel good because they can see that they have played a part in this endeavor. It boosts the donor morale to know that they have done their bit for society.

This builds brand loyalty towards your nonprofit.

3. Effective in Engaging Niche Audience

When donors participate in a fundraising campaign and receive instant gratification for what they have done through the fundraising thermometer, they get a sense of fulfillment.

This is how it works. People like to see any task they take up getting completed. So, when they watch the fundraising thermometer proceed towards its goals, it fills them with excitement to track the progress. This engages them until the end of the campaign. Besides, when they feel that the thermometer is not progressing at the speed it should, they might even go an extra mile and add more to hasten the process.

Once the fundraising goal is reached, the donors feel a sense of personal achievement. They get a feeling of accomplishment on reaching a milestone. This also helps in building the community as donors feel that they have achieved something together, as a community.

4. Team Crowdfunding Thermometers Encourage Peer to Peer Fundraising

By using the team crowdfunding thermometer, you can ask your peer-to-peer fundraisers to set goals on their page. And, the progress on pages of different team members can be consolidated to indicate the overall progress of the fundraising campaign on your campaign page.

Fundraising thermometers are dynamic, in the words, they give live updates on the progress of the fundraising donations towards its goals. These real-time updates can be displayed on large screens at outdoor events for the participants to watch.

Live fundraising thermometers can also be integrated with devices such as tablets, mobiles, desktops, etc. for the convenience of the donors, staff, and others involved with the fundraising campaign.

Several brands create and market fundraising thermometers with different features. Besides these ready-to-use platforms, there are several DIY templates available that can be used to develop a nonprofit donation platform.

Here’s a guide to the features you need for your nonprofit’s fundraising thermometer:

• Choose a fundraising goal tracker that can be customized with your brand logo and colors.
• Optionally, you can choose a template that is aligned with the cause your nonprofit is supporting. This sends a reminder to your donors about the mission of your nonprofit and how their donations are going to be used.
• Ensure that the fundraising meter tracks donations with live updates in real-time.
• Check if the fundraising meter includes a “donor roll.” A donor roll displays new donations as and when they are added.
• It is recommended that you choose a donation tracker in which the anonymity of the donors is maintained.
• The fundraising thermometer must include the Text-to-donate code in addition to the campaign-specific code.

In case, you are looking for fundraising thermometer alternatives to offer something different to your donors, you could try the visual fundraising tracking option.

A fundraising thermometer essentially tracks the progress of the fundraising campaign in terms of the funds generated as it heads towards its ultimate goal. In visual fundraising tracking the basic concept is the same aka indicating the progress of a fundraiser but it is depicted through imagery. An image is created which gets filled up as donations are added.

Some examples of imagery used in visual fundraising tracking are using an image of a night sky that fills up with stars with each donation received. Optionally, an image of a tree can be used where a flower blooms each time a donation is added.

Imagery can be used in innovative ways to choose images that are aligned with the cause supported by the nonprofit. For instance, if your nonprofit is working on saving rainforests, you could use an image of a ground in which a plant/tree sprouts up every time a donation is made.

This concept is also effective in engaging the audience as it clearly indicates their participation in the fundraising campaign. The main advantage of this method is that it does not indicate the exact amount donated. This encourages participation by donors who are hesitant in donating small amounts. This is because they can view their donation in a symbolic form like a star or a flower without the exact amount being displayed.

Visual fundraising is able to attract more small donors. This approach gives the donors the satisfaction of having participated in a philanthropic venture even if they are unable to donate large sums of money.

However, this method suffers from the drawback that it lacks the transparency that fundraising thermometer offers. Also, in a fundraising thermometer the donors can view in numeric value the exact amount reached and how close or further the fundraising goal amount is!

Whether you choose a conventional fundraising thermometer or a visual fundraiser tracking, here are some tools that can simplify your task of creating the platform:

• Canva
• Venngage
• Microsoft Word
• Certain CRMs include built-in features that enable you to create fundraising thermometers.

In addition to these, you have the option of using an online fundraising platform like iConnectX.

Online platforms offer several benefits:

• These pre-designed platforms are ready to use. So, you can get started right away without investing time and effort in designing one.
• Online platforms are automated. Hence, they update the progress of your fundraiser automatically.
• These platforms can sync with multiple fundraising campaigns enabling you to track the progress on all of them.
• Online fundraising thermometers can be easily embedded on your website providing live updates to visitors on your website.

In Conclusion

Fundraising thermometers are the best way to build the trust and confidence of your donors. They encourage donations and help in community building. With healthy growth in philanthropy and giving worldwide, it is a good idea to invest in a fundraising thermometer for your nonprofit, if you aren’t already using one!

Connect with the Experts at iConnectX for more on fundraising thermometers to track your fundraising goals!

If you are running a nonprofit, then you will know that organizing fundraising campaigns can be quite a task!

Especially in the current scenario when some of the tried-and-tested fundraising strategies cannot be implemented because of the pandemic.

It is heartening to note that despite the pandemic, many donors have donated in different ways to various charities. However, the onus is on nonprofits to associate with charities that donors care about and think of innovative fundraising strategies.

When we think of types of fundraising methods, nonprofit events like auctions, organizing 5km runs, etc. come to mind. However, given the current circumstances, we realize that fundraising methods need complete revamping. Simply put nonprofits need to think of digital methods of raising funds instead of physical ones, at least for now!

The last year has witnessed many events being organized virtually. Nonprofits have also successfully organized online auctions, etc. to generate funds. Another aspect of fundraising that became relevant last year was building trust with donors by communicating with them through emails or social media campaigns.

Managing so many things like email marketing, social media marketing, virtual events, choosing types of fundraising methods, budget shortfalls, can get quite overwhelming for a non-profit.

It is best to develop a fundraising strategy plan that is aligned with your nonprofit and work towards your goals.

So, take a deep breath, sit back, and read on for a comprehensive fundraising strategy plan and customize it according to the needs of your brand!

1. Align your Strategy with your Brand

There are so many nonprofit fundraising strategies like crowdfunding, peer-to-peer funding, etc. that it can be quite confusing to choose the right one for your nonprofit.

A word of caution, many nonprofits lose track of their goals when they get caught up in all these strategies especially when they try to implement strategies that might be working for others.

So, to make sure that you stay on track with your goals, here’s what you need to do!

Establish your fundraising goals that are aligned with the mission of your nonprofit. This can be your strategic goal for the entire year or a long-term goal.

Next, break down your goals into “bite-sized” objectives. These objectives can be the monthly fundraising targets that you can plan to achieve with the help of your fundraising campaigns.

Determine your budget for each fundraising campaign.

Establish teams to plan these campaigns. Make sure that you include board members, members of staff, volunteers, interested donors as a part of your campaigns.

2. Research

You must plan your fundraising strategy based on insights and relevant data. For this, you need to research your past campaigns. This data will help you understand what strategies worked/did not work for your nonprofit in the past. It is also a good idea to check out what your competitors are doing and what is working for them.

It is also beneficial to collect data about your audience and what their needs are, etc.

You can shortlist fundraising strategies that are aligned with the mission of your nonprofit.

However, you must ensure that the campaigns you select are well within your budget.

3. Choosing Campaigns

There is a wide range of fundraising methods available for nonprofits to choose from.

However, you need to bear certain things in mind while choosing them:

• Ensure that your fundraising campaigns reach a broad range of donors. Create fundraising programs that facilitate small, medium, and major donors to participate in campaigns and donate easily.
• Encourage recurring donations instead of one-time donations. This will increase your donor base as people who may not be able to donate large sums will still be able to donate.
• Choose fundraising campaigns that are aligned to the mission of your nonprofit.
• Make sure that you make it easy for your donor to make donations through mobiles.
• Select fundraising strategies that are easy to use.

Here’s are some effective methods for fundraising:

Online donations: This is when donors contribute to a nonprofit through its online donation page.

In-kind Donations: These include non-monetary donations like food, drinks, equipment, etc. In-kind donations are usually given by companies.

Text-to Give: This is a simple text-to-give technique for donating wherein the donor texts a code when he wants to donate. Nonprofits establish codes, a campaign keyword with a predetermined donation amount. So, when a donor texts the keyword to the code, the predetermined donation amount is billed to their mobile phone bill.

Auction: Charity auctions are one of the most effective ways of fundraising. In an online auction, bids are invited for articles that are displayed by the nonprofit on different channels for a specific time. These bids are compared, and the highest bidder gets the article. You can organize a virtual event where the winning bids are announced.

Peer-to-peer fundraising: In peer-to-peer fundraising, people who support your nonprofit collect donations for you by asking their friends, contacts, etc. to donate. Donors can contribute through donation pages of your supporters. These pages are linked to your nonprofit’s main donation form.

Besides these, there is a myriad of other fundraising options like crowdfunding, corporate grants, etc. It is recommended that you check the features of each type of fundraising strategy and choose the ones best suited to your nonprofit and your donors.

4. Marketing

One of the most important aspects for raising brand awareness and increasing donor base is marketing your brand. And, in the current scenario, digital marketing strategies are a must.

So, you need to increase the visibility of your brand with search engine optimization, email marketing, social media marketing campaigns, etc.

You can increase your website traffic by posting fresh content regularly on your website. Make sure that you market your brand effectively with high-quality content.

Email marketing is one of the most effective strategies to market your brand to your audience. Email marketing helps you establish a personal relationship between the recipients and your brand. Emails are communication channels through which you can tell your donors about your mission, let them know how their donations are helping your organization reach its fundraising goals, etc. This helps build trust and loyalty.

With the rising number of social media users worldwide, it can be considered as an effective marketing strategy to reach a wide audience.

You can choose the right blend of marketing strategies for effective fundraising.

Effective marketing strategies can also help attract corporate sponsorship to increase your overall fundraising.

5. Monitoring

After executing a fundraising campaign, you need to measure its effectiveness. This will help you understand the areas for improvement in your campaigns so that you can plan better strategies.

Also, make sure that you collect feedback from your participants in the campaigns. This data will help you enhance your future campaigns.

These can be considered as the building blocks for any fundraising strategy. You can customize your fundraising campaigns based on them.

iConnectX is a platform that streamlines all nonprofit fundraising campaigns. This platform has all the features tailored to the needs of nonprofits.

2020 has been a tough year for most businesses globally. The non-profit sector has also suffered its wrath. Fundraising was way below the expected goals. Almost 38% of nonprofits had to close down in the last year.

Fundraising post-COVID is likely to become more challenging for nonprofits for several reasons:

1. Unemployment and financial losses: COVID 19 has taken a toll on the global economy. Many businesses have had to close down, people across the globe have lost jobs, there have been massive pay cuts, etc. All these have impacted fundraising. People who were donating funds to charities before COVID are finding it difficult to do so currently. Under, the circumstances the future of fundraising does not look very bright.
2. Lack of in-person events: One of the most effective ways for non-profits to raise awareness about their brands and market them was through in-person events. Events offered an opportunity for donors, etc. to interact with the members of the non-profit and this helped build trust. Besides, hosting nonprofit events also involved contributions by sponsors. Sponsors also helped market the brand. But physical distancing and other restrictions have put a halt on events like 5km runs, etc.

The good news for nonprofits is that although monetary donations were not much, that the pandemic did not deter people from giving in kind. A report by Women’s Philanthropy Institute shows that 56% of US households indulged in charitable giving in 2020. (Source: Philanthropy)

This goes on to show that the willingness is there among the donors although they may lack the means. The onus is entirely on the nonprofits to think of ways of spreading the word about their organization, connect with donors, engage them and motivate them to donate.

Technology emerges as the ray of hope that can completely transform the nonprofit sector. Technological innovations have been around and many nonprofit organizations had been leveraging them even before COVID. But many nonprofits shied away from using technology for fundraising and other activities either because of the costs associated or because they felt it was too complicated to implement.

However, today we can safely say that the future of nonprofit fundraising will depend on how well it uses technology. In other words, technology is no longer a choice but a Must for nonprofit fundraising!

Let us delve into how technology can help a nonprofit organization

Since in-person interactions have been restricted, the only way for nonprofits to connect with their audience is virtual. Besides nonprofits need to offer online methods for donations. Also, nonprofits need to engage the tech-savvy Millennials and Gen Z donors.

These are technological tools that nonprofits require and how they can benefit from them:

Websites

Nonprofits will need a strong online presence with the help of websites that clearly communicate to the audience what the brand is about. Websites should explain the mission of the nonprofit. Websites should also include donor forms and offer the provision to donate. It is also essential that the website is mobile-friendly.

Benefit: A website helps raise awareness about your brand. It can also help you inform your visitors about any upcoming events, etc. It is easy to keep your visitors coming back to your site by refreshing the site with new content. Your website helps you establish authority in your field when you share relevant content about your niche.

Digital Marketing

The internet is full of a variety of websites. Then how do you attract your audience to your site?

Digital marketing is necessary for you to ensure that your brand stands out in the digital marketplace. Different digital marketing strategies like social media marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing, etc. are used to increase the visibility of the site.

Benefits: Digital marketing strategies help enhance the ranking of your website on search engines. When your website ranks high, it will attract more visitors. Strategies like email marketing enable you to offer a personalized marketing approach. This helps build trust and loyalty. Social media marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with a wide audience.

Online Fundraising

Nonprofits need to ensure that they offer simple online fundraising methods to their audience. They can provide donation facilities through their website or even social channels.

Benefits: Online fundraising tools help attract more donations as donors find it easy to donate.

Virtual Event Platforms

Events are most effective to connect with the audience. Since physical events do not seem likely in the near future, virtual events are the only alternative. Virtual events have become popular during the past year.

Virtual events are hosted using software platforms. Nonprofits must familiarize themselves with different platforms and use them for hosting events.

Benefits: Virtual event platforms include a myriad of features to simplify the process of organizing events. They include online registrations, breakout rooms, feedback forms, and many more to help the hosts. Platforms like iConnectx.com are customized for hosting nonprofit events. They include all the features required to organize a successful nonprofit event.

These are some of the technological innovations and their benefits to nonprofits. Many nonprofits are a little skeptical about using technology because of the costs. However, technology cannot be ignored in the current times and even in the post-COVID times.

Nonprofits need to invest in technology because of the benefits it offers in the long run. Besides in the current pandemic situation, technology is a survival technique!

There is no denying that technology is expensive compared to the conventional techniques used. However, how much a nonprofit spends on technology is something that can be controlled. It is recommended that a nonprofit budgets its expenses and allocates fixed sums to different technological tools it uses.

The nonprofit organization can determine the blend of technological tools it requires and invest specific funds for each. You can assess the effectiveness of the technologies leveraged by analyzing the returns they provide.

It is beneficial to work within the budget so that the expenses incurred are well in control.

Summarizing

The pandemic has driven home the important point that the future is highly unpredictable! And, since we cannot control or predict the future, we need to have the ability to adapt to it. While the future of nonprofits also cannot be predicted, one thing that has become apparent is that adopting technology is a must for nonprofits. Technology offers several benefits that justify the funds invested. While the initial investment of funds, time, and efforts might seem tedious and expensive, it is worthwhile in the long run. One of the best technologies that are tailored to managing all aspects of running a nonprofit in the future is iConnectX!

Connect with iConnectX for better fundraising!

Digital is the “new normal” and nonprofits also need to adapt to digital means of operating. This means whether it is raising funds or hosting events, nonprofits will have to choose online methods. Fortunately, a plethora of online fundraising platforms is available to streamline the fundraising process for nonprofits!

The basic objective of all nonprofits is to raise funds through various events and campaigns. However, the difference lies in the specific methods each nonprofit uses to raise money online.

How nonprofits raise money online

Online Giving

This is a method of collecting donations directly through the nonprofit’s website. To facilitate online giving, the platform should be capable of creating branded donation pages for the nonprofit’s website. An online donation page makes it easy to donate gifts for specific campaigns. The donation page should also facilitate monthly or recurring donations.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is an online fundraising strategy wherein a nonprofit creates a campaign on a third-party platform. These campaigns help raise funds for an urgent need of the nonprofit. Crowdfunding usually has small and mid-sized donations from numerous donors. Nonprofits that use crowdfunding as a fundraising option need an online platform that has the features that support it. For instance, it should support secure and easy payment methods, it should facilitate tracking fund generation over a fixed period, etc.

Peer to Peer Fundraising

Online peer-to-peer fundraising warrants platforms that enable individual supporters to create donation pages on behalf of the nonprofit. The donations solicited by these supporters through their pages are transferred directly to the nonprofit.

Matching Gift

This is a corporate philanthropy program wherein the employers match the donation of their employees. The online platform that supports the matching gift program will promote a matching gift database on the donation page. So, when a donor lands on the donation page, he can use a search tool to find out the donation made by his employer and whether he can match it or not. If your budget is high, you can even think of an automated matching gift software. In an automated process, the donors get automatic reminders and are guided through the entire process.

Online Auction

If a nonprofit uses using auctions to raise funds online, then it will need a platform that engages the audience and streamlines the auction process. Online auctions do not require paper bids or a lengthy registration process. However, nonprofits that leverage online auction for fundraising need to ensure that they provide their users a mobile bidding app as well.

While these are some of the most popular online fundraising strategies used by nonprofits, your nonprofit may use some other methods. The most important factor for online fundraising is the choice of the fundraising platform. Hence, a nonprofit must ensure that it selects the right platform which serves its purpose.

But choosing the right one can be quite confusing!

Here’s a guide to selecting an online fundraising platform:

Step 1: Establish your Goals

The goal of any nonprofit is to raise funds using the fundraising platform it chooses. Online fundraising platforms offer umpteen features like collecting data about the donors, setting up recurring donations, help spread awareness about the nonprofit, and many more. However, each platform has a specific set of features. Hence, you need to choose one that is aligned with your goals.

Step 2: Ascertain if the Online Platform has the Essential Characteristics

Certain basic features are required in any online fundraising platform. So, when you are shortlisting platforms, ensure that they have those features.

Characteristics of fundraising platforms

Customizable

When you look at different fundraising platforms, you might find that they have several attractive features that may be useful for you. However, you must make sure that the platform can be customized for your usage. In other words, you should be able to use the features you require according to your needs.

Responsive on Mobiles and Tablets

Make sure that you choose platforms that can be used on all devices such as desktops, mobiles, tablets, etc. This helps you reach a wider audience.

The platform should load quickly on all devices and the data buttons should be prominent and easy to click across devices. The page should not suffer in terms of quality when loading on different devices.

Easy Set-up

Some online fundraising platforms require technical knowledge for setting up and managing them while some others are less complicated. Choose a platform that is easy to set up. You can also check with the service provider if they offer training, customer support, etc.

Integrations offered

Make sure that the online platform integrates seamlessly with your CRM. This will save your time and effort in transferring your existing data into the platform.

This will also simplify the process of running campaigns and planning fundraising strategies.

Ease of Payments

The purpose of any online fundraising platform is to facilitate donations. Hence, ensure that the platforms you shortlist have easy payment options. Check whether they allow credit card/debit card payments or not.

Also, make sure that the platform is a PCI complaint. PCI compliance is a must for any platform that accepts credit card payments. It helps keep secure the confidential data such as credit card details provided by the donors.

Event hosting

Virtual events are here to stay, at least in the near future. What this means is that you will need an online fundraising platform that offers comprehensive features for hosting virtual events to raise funds.

Flexibility

Select a platform that can cater to your future needs. In other words, don’t choose a platform that only satisfies your current requirements. For instance, if you want to add more types of fundraising options at a later date, your platform should be able to accommodate such changes. Flexibility and scalability are must-have features when selecting an online fundraising platform.

Step 3: Comparison

Once you have shortlisted some online fundraising platforms, you will need to compare them and decide on the one best suited to your needs.

You can compare different platforms based on the above characteristics. You can also check out if the platform offers any other features that you can customize according to your needs.

Step 4: Price Comparison

The last step to select an online platform is to compare their prices. It is recommended that you do a cost-benefit analysis before deciding on the online platform you will buy.

While comparing the prices of different online platforms, you must adhere to your nonprofit’s budgets. Keeping your budget in mind while choosing the platform will ensure that you do not spend more than the funds you raise!

The base price of a platform is usually quoted by the provider, you need to include any other additional costs for a realistic comparison.

Here’s a list of some costs you need to take into account:

• Base price
• Price of enhancements or additional features
• Expenses towards IT support
• Cost of training the in-house team for using the platform
• The number of users the platform can support.
• Processing fees of payment

There may be other expenses associated with the different online platforms you may have shortlisted. You must anticipate all such costs for each platform and then compare them.

Make sure that you ask the service provider for different options. This is because a software provider may provide options that include additional features.

If you are looking for a platform that offers all the features required for online fundraising, then make sure to connect with the experts at iConnectX! We have been in the field of philanthropy for several years and provide platforms that cater to all the needs of nonprofits for online fundraising!

The year 2020 was the year most of us would like to wipe out from our memories. With the vaccine coming into play, 2021 is expected to help us recover from the state the pandemic had brought the world to! Fundraising in the last year faced its own set of challenges forcing nonprofits to rethink their strategies that will influence donors.

The pandemic has greatly transformed the way businesses’ function. There is a huge thrust on digitalization. In fact, we can say that technology and digital presence are no longer an option but a compulsion for all businesses including nonprofits. Therefore, if you are looking to position your nonprofit for fundraising success, you will need to build better fundraising strategies.

How to Plan an Impactful Fundraising Strategy?

All nonprofits are racking their brains on what fundraising strategies will work in 2021?

While we hear of several technological innovations and marketing techniques, we should not be in a hurry to adopt them without analyzing whether they are aligned with the working of our business model.

It is best to adopt a simple basic approach to developing a fundraising strategy for your nonprofit.

Here are a few aspects that you need to consider before you plan your fundraising strategy for 2021:

1. Analyze Last Year’s Performance

Before you plan your strategy for 2021, you must check out your last year’s performance.

This could be aspects like:

• The funds generate
• Losses incurred
• Number of donors lost/gained
• Email subscribers
• Donation patterns, etc.

This will give you a fair idea about the areas of improvement. Also, you will know exactly how much funds you have on hand and can budget your marketing expenses accordingly.

2. Data

When you are planning your fundraising strategy for 2021, it is recommended that you make a data-based plan.

What this means is that you collect data to find out details like:

• Demographics of your donors
• Details of global fundraising in 2020
• Market trends
• The type of charities that people liked to engage with, etc.

3. Technology

Businesses across the globe are adapting to new technologies. We have seen during the past year how buyers have switched from brick-and-mortar stores to online stores or how virtual events have replaced physical events, etc.

However, not all technologies are relevant for all businesses. Nonprofits need to identify the technologies that will help them in their fundraising strategies and invest in them.

These principal components of fundraising can be considered as the foundation on which you can build your fundraising strategy for 2021!

Let us look at the Top Fundraising Strategy to Capitalize in 2021

1. Choice of Charities

You need to select the charities that your nonprofit associates with carefully. It is important to bear in mind that all those charities that you had been supporting before the pandemic may not be the ones that donors are interested in anymore.

This is where the research that you have done will come in handy. Data that you have collected will give you an idea of the charities that donors are inclined towards.

So, based on this you can choose the charities for your nonprofit. However, make sure that you select those charities that are aligned with the vision of your nonprofit.

2. Aligning Stakeholders

In 2021, nonprofit fundraising will need extensive marketing efforts. Technology will also have a vital role to play in nonprofit fundraising. Hence, before you plan, it is essential to identity the entities that will add value to your fundraising efforts.

It is also beneficial to consider using tools that facilitate collaboration through a single platform. This streamlines coordination and saves time in planning and strategizing.

3. Budget

2020 has taught us the importance of financial planning. During the last year, all those organizations that had saved sufficient funds were the ones that could cope with the economic downturn.

Therefore, any fundraising strategy should begin with a budget where specific sums are allocated for each activity associated with the fundraising strategy.

4. Make Online Donations Easy

With people turning online for all their needs, facilitating online donations is a Must for nonprofits. Also, bear in mind that many donors are still not very comfortable using technology, so make online donations easy for them. You can offer donation buttons on your website, social media, etc. Make sure that donations are possible with all devices like tablets, iPads, etc. especially mobiles.

5. Encourage Monthly Donations

The financial challenges might discourage many donors. Therefore, you can encourage your donors to donate small sums monthly. Some nonprofits are accepting donations of $10 also to motivate their donors.

If donors are encouraged to donate small amounts during their tough times and they know their funds are being used well, they will be more inclined to donate monthly.

6. Revamp your Email Marketing

Many of you must be having a subscribers list and you may be sending emails to your subscribers. However, it is time to check your existing email list.

You need to identify the inactive subscribers. Reach out to them and find out why they are not responding. Purging your email list is essential so that your efforts are not wasted on unresponsive subscribers.

Subscribers may not be active due to several reasons. Many people change their email addresses, or they may have moved to some other non-profit, etc. Therefore, you need to identify the ones who can come back to your nonprofit and think of ways of attracting them.

Also, when you critically assess your existing email list, you will get a clear idea of the number of existing email subscribers. This will help you set clear goals on the number of subscribers you intend to reach in a specific time frame. This will help you plan your email strategy.

7. Revamp your Website

In 2021 you might find that the features or services of your website before the pandemic may no longer be relevant under the current circumstances. Therefore, it is a good idea to critically evaluate your website and tweak it so that it meets the demands of your audience.

For instance, if you are choosing new charities, you can communicate this to your audience through your website. It is beneficial to introduce trending features on your website. For instance, video content, etc.

8. Social Media Marketing

The popularity of social media has gone up by leaps and bounds during the past year. Social media campaigns are necessary to spread awareness about your nonprofit. Social media channels are highly effective in building a rapport with your audience. Find out the social media channels your nonprofit audience uses and the timings they are active on and connect with them there.

9. Virtual Events

Events are important for fundraising by nonprofits. However, the pandemic has put a halt to all physical events. And, we have seen a rise in the number of virtual events being hosted during the past year.

However, if you want good participation with effective fundraising in your virtual events, you need some out-of-box thinking to engage your audience throughout the event. You can customize the event experience for your audience with the help of the data you have gathered.

10. Ramp up Technology

The year 2021 will be technology-driven! Several automation tools and innovative technologies are available for nonprofits to leverage.

Choose the best technologies and customize them according to your fundraising strategies. One of the most sought-after technologies by nonprofits is an event hosting platform.

With social distancing norms and lockdowns, events can only be hosted virtually. Event hosting platforms offer a myriad of features that make it easy to host virtual events.

iConnectX has some of the best features that are tailored to the needs of nonprofits. iConnectX has been in the field of philanthropy for several years and has all systems set up to meet the goals of nonprofits.

We are living in a society that includes people who have everything and those who lack even the basic necessities in life. The State and Governments across the globe are trying their best to bridge this gap. However, as citizens, it is our responsibility also to help the needy to upgrade their quality of life. There are several ways of doing this. One of the best ways is a donation.

We can make monetary donations, food donations, clothes, or even donations of old items. While most charities have simplified the process of donating money, donation of food or articles becomes difficult for the donors.

Many of us who have old clothes, furniture, etc. that we want to donate are clueless about where to go and what to do? And, with the lockdowns and other restrictions, donating articles has become even more complicated.

Fortunately, several charities offer free donation pick-up. However, you need to ensure that your donation is being used for the right purposes. Therefore, it is important to find some details about the nonprofit organization before you schedule a donation pick-up.

Here are a few tips to streamline the process of donation pick up:

Step 1: Collect the Items for Donation

You need to identify the items at home that you would like to donate. Make sure that the articles are in usable condition. For instance, if you are donating clothes, ensure that that they are not torn or tattered. Or, if you are donating used toys for your kids, make sure that they are not broken and are functional. Once you have collected all the stuff you want to donate; clean and segregate them. Pack them in separate cartons or bags. You can make it a community effort by asking your neighbors etc. to also collect the items they want to donate so that you can collectively send them to nonprofits that pick-up donations.

Step 2: Finding the Right Nonprofit

You can search the website of the nonprofit to find out details such as what they do, how they work, etc. The simplest way to do this is to search for “donation centers near me” on Google. It is a good idea to even connect with the relevant personnel in the organization and find out more about them.

When you are looking for a nonprofit that will pick up donations from your home, check with them what kind of donations they accept. This is because not all charities accept every article you may want to donate. You can specifically ask the concerned person in the organization what you can/can’t donate. This will help you narrow down your choice of nonprofit for donation.

Based on this data you can decide on the donation center.

Step 3: Arrange for a Free Donation Pick-up

When you have decided on the non-profit organization you want to donate to, you can schedule a date and time for the pick-up. Make sure that your articles for donation are clean and neatly packed. The nonprofit that will pick up donations from your home will visit you according to the schedule. You can hand over your donation to the concerned person.

Donating old articles to charity is a fulfilling experience. People who have an excess of items can easily distribute them to the needy. This serves two purposes. The donor can share articles that may not be useful for him, but they can benefit someone else. We tend to buy anything new and beneficial in the market. When we buy such items, we stop using those that we had been using before the purchase. Most often these articles are in a good condition and we do not know what to do with them.

When we realize that many people want these items and can’t afford them, we can easily donate them to such people. This is the best use for the articles that are available in excess at our homes. For instance, parents find themselves stuck with good quality toys that their kids may have outgrown. Most often these toys are expensive and in a good condition so one does not feel like throwing them away. The donor feels good when he can donate such toys to poor kids who cannot afford them. This is one example. When you look around you will find many such things around you that can be replaced with updated versions. it could be your old smartphones, laptops, or shoes, etc. While these may not be of much use to you, they can transform the lives of many.

These are some of the reliable nonprofits that pick-up donations from your home for free:

1. The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a philanthropic organization that was formed in 1865. It offers charity services in over 100 countries across the globe.

They accept monetary donations, furniture, books, clothing, and several other items. They even accept cars as donations. These donations are sold at their network of stores.

To donate to Salvation Army, a donor needs to provide details such as their zip code and a list of articles they wish to donate in the online form. You can schedule a free pick-up according to your convenience by suggesting the date and time for the pick-up.

2. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)

It is an organization that helps military service veterans with support services like job placements, financial planning, etc.

VVA offers free donation pick-up services where donors can schedule pick-ups in less than 24 hours.

3. Habitat for Humanity

This is a nonprofit that has helped over 20 million people revitalize their housing. The main objective of this organization is to provide homes to the underprivileged.

Habitat for Humanity raises funds for its construction projects by selling donated goods through its network of Habitat Restores across the country. They take donations from the public for this. They also offer free pick-up for larger items.

You can connect with the charity through their website to schedule a free pickup.

4. human-I-T

This organization focuses on managing E-waste. They repair and repurpose donated electronic items for low-income groups.

The donations collected are used to provide internet access, online learning courses, etc. to the people who cannot afford them.

human-I-T helps solve the problem of e-waste disposal while helping the underprivileged acquire technical skills.

5. Green Drop

Green drop helps people clear their clutter. When there is a death in the family or if one is moving homes, there is a lot of stuff that people don’t know what to do with. Green Drop comes in to help clear the articles that can be donated. However, they do not pick up large items of furniture, or televisions, etc. They have a weight restriction of 50lbs for the articles collected.

They donate to charities like the National Federation of the Blind or American Red Cross, etc.

In addition to the above-mentioned names, several charities offer free donation pick-up services to simplify the process of donation.

iConnectX is a leading non-profit organization that can help you with a donation of articles for charity.

Connect with Us Now to get involved in various philanthropic activities!

The past year has changed literally everything! We are all adapting to new ways of living and cautiously creating a “new normal!” The new normal is going to have technology at the forefront. This is because only technology can help people across the globe collaborate and work towards common goals.

The global economy has suffered huge setbacks in the past year and is still taking time to recover. The nonprofit sector is also impacted. However, it is heartening to note that more people across the globe are motivated to their bit for the community amid the crisis. Therefore, the nonprofit sector is witnessing more interest and involvement.

It is now time for nonprofits to buckle-up and adapt to the “new normal!”

Events are the mainstay for nonprofits to engage their audience. However, social distancing has put a halt on physical events since 2020. And virtual events have become popular in 2020.

Virtual events are the way ahead for nonprofits in 2021!

When organizing an event virtually, you need to get creative and organize events that engage a larger audience. It is recommended that you study the demographics of the donors for your cause and customize your event according to their interests.

Here’s how nonprofits can strategize virtual events to reach a wide audience:

How to make Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Virtual?

Peer-to-peer fundraising help create a sense of community. Besides they have the potential to generate twice the amount of funds compared to most other digital fundraising initiatives.

One of the best ways to convert existing campaigns into peer-to-peer fundraisers is by asking your donors to set up their own online fundraising pages and linking them through software tools. You can urge your donors to reach out to their friends and social groups to build the community.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a traditional form of fundraising that has an integrated online component.

You can create a dedicated crowdfunding page to fund a specific fund with a target amount. This method offers complete transparency, and you can communicate the progress to your donors easily.

Live-Stream

During the pandemic era, online videos have experienced a surge in engagement. Nonprofits can create live events on Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or Zoom.

Live-streaming comes closest to a physical event because it offers an opportunity to question and engage with each other.

Webinars

Webinars help raise awareness and engage the audience digitally. You can organize a series of webinars with specific agendas.

You can start with educating your audience about how to interact and what they stand to gain. You can organize informative webinars with the CEO and interviews, etc. with your donors.

Webinars are quite effective in engaging a wide audience and sharing valuable information.

Virtual Gala

This is an interesting concept of a virtual event where you can organize a fundraiser with the top supporters of your nonprofit. You can invite a speaker to address the group.

You can make it a fun event by organizing a virtual dinner party or luncheon. Decide on a menu and ask the members to cook. The group members can dress up for the virtual dinner party to add a zing! Alternatively, you could organize a theme party.

Such creative ideas make the event engaging for all the members.

Virtual Marathons

Did you think that marathons are impossible in 2021? Think again! Use your creativity to organize virtual marathons!

You can ask the attendees to run outside their homes or on the treadmill on a specific date at a particular time. Make sure to set up an activity goal when all attendees run at the same time on their own. Of course, the attendees must be asked to sign-up for the event and pay a registration fee.

Make it a fundraiser through the race date while tracking their race times. Check out who are members who cross their fundraising and physical finish lines. This a very effective method to engage the participants.

Take it a step ahead by celebrating the members with a live-stream. You can also make the event interesting by inviting someone from your organization to address the group. Help the participants to connect. This will make your event popular because, during the time of self-isolation, people will be looking for an opportunity to connect with other like-minded people.

The same concept can be used to organize a bikeathon or a climbathon. All these activities offer great engagement and are highly effective fundraisers.

Online Charity Auctions

Charity auctions are very popular fundraising events. Fortunately, the concept of online auctions existed even before the pandemic. In 2021, online auctions might almost replace physical auctions until the pandemic comes in control.

An online auction is beneficial as it can engage a global audience. You can use online auction platforms like iConnectx.com for an online auction.

Make bidding easy for your audience by setting up a page specifically for listing the items available for bidding. You can compare the bids and organize a fancy event to declare the winners. Events such as webinars, live streams, or Virtual galas are great options for declaring the winners.

Although, the concept of an online auction is simple to implement and offers several benefits, finding quality products for auction might be a challenge this year. This is because of the way businesses are struggling to cope with the present economic situation.

Virtual Conference

Don’t let social distancing hamper your efforts to cultivate a community! You can explore the option of the virtual conference for your purpose.

You could organize a day-long conference with talks, workshops, etc. in which people can dial into events of their choice.

Some examples of the speakers at the conference are members of the Board who can explain about the charity. It is a good idea to ask people who have benefitted from your organization to share their experiences. Experts who are knowledgeable about your cause can be good speakers at a conference.

Conferences may be organized on Zoom. Make sure to make the conference interactive to retain the interest of your audience.

Virtual Bingo/Concerts/Happy Hours

If you are looking to engage a wide audience, it is recommended you try different types of virtual events. This is because the type of audience you attract depends on the type of event you organize. While events like conferences are a little serious in nature, they will attract a specific type of audience events like virtual bingo, virtual concerts, or virtual happy hours are fun events that attract a very different type of audience.

While such events are organized virtually through Zoom, etc. they give the audience a feeling that they are getting out of their homes and having a night of fun.

Gaming Fundraisers

Gaming has become an extremely popular form of entertainment during the pandemic.

Virtual gaming can be used effectively for fundraising in different ways. For instance, you can engage popular gamers and Livestream their game. They can point viewers towards your fundraising campaigns.

Gaming can also be used to cultivate community by organizing a competition between teams. organizing such tournaments helps in fundraising. You can have local businesses sponsor gifts for winners of such tournaments.

These are some ideas of the types of virtual events you can organize. However, technology has made it easy to innovate and create more variations in virtual events.

An event management platform simplifies the process of organizing events. It is recommended that you choose a platform that offers you several features to give you the flexibility to add variations in your virtual event.

iConnectX is just the perfect platform for organizing any virtual event. This platform has been used for organizing events for nonprofits for several years. Therefore, it already has some of the essential features required for such events. Besides, at iConnectX, we are persistently updating the platform with new features to enhance the user-experience through events.

Connect with iConnectX to create events that will delight your audience!

Charity auctions are events where funds are raised by selling off items and products to whoever bids the highest. While the bidder gets to enjoy the product/item, the fundraising organization gets to enjoy the money. An absolute win-win situation!

If handled right, these events can prove to be immensely beneficial, both in raising funds and building long-term engagement with the donors and bidders. Before going into how an ideal event should be planned, let’s understand the essentials.

Types of Charity Auctions

There are three types of charity auctions

1. Live Auctions
2. Silent Auctions
3. Online/Virtual Auctions

Live Auctions

These types of auctions are what most people think about when the word ‘auction’ comes up. In these events, an auctioneer with a gavel is present. He showcases the items on auction and manages the bidding process. The bidders place their bids using placards or by saying it out loud.

Silent Auctions

Silent auctions are events where items and products are displayed on tables for attendees to bid on. The bid can either be made by writing the amount down on a piece of paper or by using the phone. If you’d have watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S, the bid that takes place in the sitcom is an example of the silent auction.

Online/Virtual Auctions

Online or virtual auctions are like silent auctions except that these happen online through a dedicated website and a catalog of items on sale. Further, auction software is needed to help the fundraising organizations manage the entire process. If you happen to find the right platform to host online auctions, it is bound to give better and brighter results as the process becomes extremely easy.

Combined Auctions

You can also combine the auction types to create more impact. For instance, an online auction can be combined with the part where the bid happens live. This will help boost the adrenaline rush among the guests.

How To Host Charity Auctions

1. Choose the right software
2. Promote the event well
3. Communicate with your supporters
4. Follow-up

How to Host A Successful Charity Auction

1. Choose A Reliable Online Platform

Choosing a platform is of miraculous significance while planning to hold charity auctions. Ensure the platform allows easy and quick bidding delivers notifications and urges involvement.

2. Know Your Policies Well

Discuss and find solutions to questions like – How the prizes/items will be delivered to the bidders? Who will bear the shipping charges – the bidder or the organization? Be clear and articulate the same clarity to the audience so they know what to expect.

3. Engage the Audience

Keeping the audience hooked is of the utmost importance. You can share the pictures of the items that are put on bids to increase excitement and curiosity.

4. Don’t Spoil the Audience for Choice

Keeping a lot of bid options usually backfires. If we apply this to our own lives, we often end up buying nothing when we have a range of things to choose from. Hence, start small.

5. Keep the Prices of the Items Moderate

The prices should not be too high or too low. In case of hefty prices, nobody makes a purchase and in case of extremely low prices, people start questioning the quality of the products. Thus, the product prices should be strategically chosen.

6. Auction Software to Have the Donation Option

Ensure that your auction software has the Donation Option so the guests can pay easily, without any hassles.

The Benefits of Charity Auctions

1. Raise a Lot of Money

If you can get hold of unique and worthy items or products to put on sale, your charity auction is bound to garner a lot of attraction, which consequently will drive a lot of donations.

2. Know Your Donors Up-Close

Charity auctions are a great way to know your donors up-close and personal. One-on-one communication with your prospects can increase the chances of donations.

3. Saves Time

Charity auctions save a lot of time. For one, you don’t have to go around week after week asking for donations from individuals. It, thus, can raise a lot of money in a small period.

How to Promote Your Charity Auction

1. Direct Mail: Letters, pamphlets, fliers, etc. prove to be of great help when promoting a charity auction.
2. Email Marketing: This aspect must not be missed. In a world where checking emails is a part and parcel of your life, sending emails to promote events is a great move.
3. Word of Mouth: Tell as many friends and relatives as you can and ask them to spread the word. Word of mouth works wonders.
4. Social Media: Don’t neglect platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, etc to promote your event. Data says that 80% of people spend 2 hours on average on their social profiles daily.
5. Make Phone Calls: Print a list of your major donors and call them personally to invite them to the event. A personal touch goes a long, long way.
6. PPC: Run ads to reach out to more people. One usually gets triple the amount one spends on running ads.

Points to Note When Planning a Charity Auction

Stick to Your Budget

In live auctions, charity planners sometimes end up going extravagant with the theme, flowers, decorations, etc. The act of making everything appear aesthetically appealing sometimes disrupts the budget. This shouldn’t happen.

At all times, one thing that should be kept in mind is that the event is being organized to raise money and not to go overboard in spending. Hence, all the purchases must be made keeping the budget in mind.

Promote Your Items Early

Don’t wait for the auction day to showcase your items or products. Instead, start promoting them days in advance so the bidders know what they can grab and are excited for the same. This promotes more participation and ultimately more donations.

Procure Unique Items

Remember the thumb rule – The more unique the items, the more money you’ll be able to raise. Thus, asking for unique products from individuals and local businesses for donation so they can be put on a bid is a must.

Pick a Great Venue

Choosing a venue that’s spacious matters a great deal. It makes the audience comfortable and takes them to a state where they are happy to donate. Also, there must be enough space for tables (in case it’s a silent auction) and a podium (in case it’s a live auction).

If it’s a silent auction, using mobile bidding software can help you raise more money because of the convenience it offers. However, choosing the right software that is a perfect blend of ease and cost-efficiency is what will need your attention.

With this, we hope you got a comprehensive overview of the nitty-gritty in association with charity auctions. With the above pointers and the right tools, planning your next charity auction will be a breeze!

So, tempted to host a charity auction? Or looking for a platform to host your virtual auction? IConnectX is here to help!

Having helped hundreds of organizations raise money, we will walk you through everything that is needed to make your auction a successful event.

Get in touch today!