GuideStar Blog

If you've worked at (or with) a nonprofit, you've struggled with your board members at some point. We all have. It's normal! The relationship between nonprofits and their boards is that of checks and balances and strategy. Frustration happens.

One of the most common sources of frustration is getting board members involved in fundraising. Many—maybe even most—nonprofits expect their board members to support their fundraising efforts both by donating and by taking on an active role in finding and recruiting donors. Getting board members to donate is pretty straightforward, but getting them to actively raise money for you is another thing altogether.

It’s October, which means that year-end fundraising is looming on the horizon. Year-end campaigns are a ton of work! When you’re planning a year-end campaign, you want to know that it’s going to be effective and that you’re going to hit your fundraising goals. But what happens after you reach your goals? Will your campaign be able to sustain you after the new year?

You could have the best online donation form in the world. But people won’t give to you unless you make a really compelling appeal that inspires them. That’s often easier said than done! When you’re a nonprofit fundraiser, it’s hard to carve out a couple of hours to craft a really great appeal.

We’re here to help. Here are six in-depth strategies you can use to create a more effective appeal.

You’ve seen fundraising thermometers before. Everyone uses them—when I was a kid, we used them for elementary school fundraisers, church fundraisers, building funds, and other events. Today, nonprofits use them for peer-to-peer fundraising, capital campaigns, and lots of other places.

But it’s when they combine event fundraising with fundraising thermometers that really exciting things happen.

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns have huge amounts of potential if they’re executed properly. Between your organization’s network and your fundraisers’ networks, you can gain massive exposure and collect plenty of donations.

But first you need two things: the right tools and the right motivation. That second element is why so many peer-to-peer campaigns start off with a stellar kick-off event!

One of the best ways to appeal for funds is through a strategy called peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising.

You’ve spent a significant time building a well-designed donation page and implementing best practices to help your page perform at its best. Now, you should make sure that donors can find your page and inspire them to make a contribution.