Author: Ben Crook

As the calendar flips to a new year, it brings fresh opportunities and a chance to reassess goals and strategies. For charitable causes, this time of reflection is particularly valuable as it allows learnings from the previous year to pave the way for new successes. The start of a new year presents an ideal moment to revisit your fundraising strategy and set the stage for a successful year ahead. 

In this blog, we will explore why the new year is a great time to revisit your fundraising strategy and provide actionable tips to maximise your fundraising potential when you use the Givergy platform.

Steps You Should Follow in January 2024

Setting yourself up for success first relies on understanding where you have been and where you want to go. This can be achieved by considering the following:

Reflect:

The new year offers a natural pause to look back on your organisation’s fundraising efforts from the previous year. Take the time to evaluate your successes and challenges, identify what worked well, what didn’t and reflect on the lessons learned.

Set Clear and Inspiring Fundraising Targets:

With a fresh calendar year, it’s time to set new targets that align with your organisation’s mission and vision. Establish clear and measurable fundraising objectives, whether it’s increasing your donor base by 30%, improving donor retention in Q2, or expanding your fundraising channels. Setting inspiring targets will motivate your team and donors, propelling you towards success.

Analyse Donor Data:

Leverage data analytics to gain insights into your donor base. Dive deep into your donor database, segmenting donors based on giving patterns, interests and demographics. This targeted approach will enable you to tailor your fundraising strategies and communication to the specific needs and preferences of each donor group.

Embrace Technology and Innovation:

The new year is the perfect time to embrace exciting technological advancements and fundraising trends that can revolutionise your efforts. Adopting technological innovations will not only attract new supporters but also enhance donor engagement and strengthen your relationship with existing donors.

Collaborate and Network:

The beginning of a new year presents ample opportunities for networking and collaboration. Connect with other nonprofits, local businesses, or community groups to leverage shared resources and amplify your fundraising efforts. Collaborative initiatives can not only increase your reach but also generate innovative ideas and inspire new approaches to fundraising.

2024 Goals To Adopt For Fundraisers

Now that you understand how you can prepare for an epic year, it’s time to set your overarching goals. Below, we have gathered five examples that we believe would set any charity or nonprofit up for success, but it’s up to you to know what would work best for your worthy cause.

Five goals that we think any organisation would benefit from in 2024 are as follows:

1. Keep guests better informed throughout the year (relationships are everything)

Guest messaging is important as it ensures you have an engaged donor base. Whether you want to drum up interest for an upcoming event or share messages post-occasion, keeping guests informed is important. 

2. Pay more attention to guests at events by bringing in additional support. 

Impressions mean a lot which means giving guests the experience they deserve is essential. By using professional, attentive event staff, you can ensure things run smoothly without having to take a hands-on approach to every part of an event.

3. Take time to understand the performance of campaigns before starting another.

Evaluating previous campaigns allows you to identify successful strategies that contributed to the campaign’s success and the areas that need improvement. You can then carry forward the successful components into your new campaign while correcting or improving the problem areas.

4. Think outside of the box to gain interest from new donors.

Being unique when fundraising is important for several reasons. It is crucial for capturing attention, fostering excitement, differentiating your organisation, and increasing donations. Also fresh new ideas for a new event can keep things exciting and encourage guests to give year after year if it’s different than before, you can engage potential donors and stand out in a crowded fundraising landscape. 

5. Streamline financial services and ways that you process donations.

Payment processing is essential to get right as without it, donations could take longer to reach the people that need it the most. By working to optimise payment methods, every other part of fundraising will become much clearer and run more smoothly. 

Choose the Right Fundraising Technology to Reach Your Goals in 2024!

The dawn of a new year brings a world of possibilities for charitable causes to reevaluate and enhance their fundraising strategies. By reflecting on past experiences, setting inspiring goals, leveraging data, embracing technology, engaging donors and collaborating with others, you can position your organisation for fundraising success in the year ahead. 

Embrace this opportunity and make 2024 a transformative year for your nonprofit, enabling you to further your mission and create lasting impact in your community.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can provide Unlimited support for your goals this year and for many more to come!

Universities are known for offering students a platform to develop their passions and skills with the end goal of achieving a brilliant career. However, they also provide a platform for individuals who are passionate about helping others to join groups and societies for the greater good. From local causes to international charities that students support, universities create dynamic communities that allow individuals to come together powerfully. 

Whether you are from a university looking to elevate RAG Week or are a small charity looking for ways to improve support within your local area, this is the article for you. Keep reading to find out what RAG Week is, the opportunities it can offer and to learn how digital fundraising technology can maximise the impact that campaigns make. After all, 90% of 18-24-year-olds donated to charity last year, making them the biggest donor age range in the UK.

What Is RAG Week?

This British tradition, short for “Raise and Give,” is when campuses come alive with a vibrant spirit of giving, creativity, and fun. It is a period in which various events are organised at a university to raise money for charitable causes. University fundraising is not a new concept. Still, RAG Week gives it a platform for exposure, and with another year of successfully raising money, RAG Week is still going strong. 

The week consists of various student organisations hosting fun events across the university to raise money. Often, they compete to see who can raise the most funds, which we think is a brilliant idea as friendly competition is a fantastic method for helping donations thrive. RAG Week is all about making a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.

Each organisation will run their RAG weeks at a different time. They are often carefully scheduled in the calendar so as not to interfere with other events in the local area. This allows for local institutions to also work together, which encourages strong collaborations and resource sharing throughout the entire calendar year.

What Are the Benefits of RAG Week?

When managed the right way, university fundraising strategies can develop a solid foundation through an effective and impactful RAG Week. Some of the main benefits include the following:

Help Students to Thrive

Students that participate in RAG Week often develop a wide range of skills, including event planning, fundraising, marketing, leadership, and teamwork. These skills can be valuable for personal and professional growth as transferable skills are just as important as educational ones when attending university.

Improve Brand Image

For universities and colleges, RAG Week can be an excellent opportunity to showcase their commitment to social responsibility and community involvement. This positive image can attract prospective students and donors in a way that sets them up for long-term success. Furthermore, by using a digital fundraising solution like the Givergy platform, you can further enhance the chance of leaving a lasting impression on stakeholders. 

Shape The Next Generation Of Fundraisers

For some students, RAG Week serves as a stepping stone into a lifelong commitment to charitable work and social activism. It can be a formative experience that influences future career choices and personal values. As passionate fundraisers ourselves, this is a benefit that we are certainly behind.

Raise Money & Awareness

In addition to fundraising, RAG Week also raises awareness about various social issues, charities, and causes. It can educate the public about issues they might not have been aware of and inspire action. Charitable awareness is essential for the long-running success of amazing causes because a lot of money doesn’t need to be spent on marketing efforts. Instead, resources can be spread out more evenly and success rates can increase.

RAG Week 2024 Digital Fundraising Ideas Using Givergy

To take your RAG week campaigns to the next level, we have included our top university fundraising ideas below that are made possible with the Givergy platform. Thanks to our flexible pricing option, students can use our tools without having to pay anything upfront, which suits the RAG fundraising model perfectly!

1. Run a silent auction alongside in-person events.

RAG week may be all about in-person fun and vibrant events, but adding a silent auction propels fundraising potential to new heights! Simply create one of our intuitive fundraising sites and share via QR code, text, email, or social media to ensure everyone on your campus can start bidding on items. This method also means you can share the link with people outside your university, such as family and friends. 

Auction items can be gathered from local businesses, allowing other companies to do their part, which always goes down a storm. You can also theme the items or keep them varied depending on the cause you are raising money. The possibilities are endless!

2. Run a virtual gala for the entire campus.

Virtual galas are gaining popularity, and their benefits are useful when you consider modern technology and the evolving landscape of event planning. When used by universities with multiple campuses, they can all unite for one event that may otherwise be a logistical headache. 

It also decreases costs as students and universities don’t always have the budget to throw extravagant in-person events.

3. Create a digital platform to receive donations.

Another way Givergy can help you raise more during RAG week is by facilitating online pledges. This means that donations can be gathered quickly and easily without stressing about bank details and card readers. All you simply need to do is share the link for donating and anyone can donate easily.

As well as being simple to use, digital solutions allow you to be creative and use different call-to-actions, building a strong foundation that lasts far beyond RAG week.

4. Capitalise on university competition with sealed bidding.

Last but not least is another fabulous fundraising tool known for enhancing fun and competitiveness with students and other stakeholders. Sealed bidding means you can promote donated auction items and get a higher winning bid because the bid amount isn’t shown. Because of this, people are more likely to bid higher and your charitable cause gains necessary funds!

Does Your Next RAG Week Deserve a Glow Up?

While traditional methods of fundraising have its benefits, taking this to the next level with a digital solution like Givergy will increase not just donations but also university perception. To learn how you can make a significant impact during RAG Week without spending on expensive campaigns, contact our team.

If you’re involved in fundraising already, you know one of the biggest days of the year is nearly here. Giving Tuesday – it’s happening Tuesday 29th November. Combined with a feel-good holiday like Thanksgiving in the USA, it’s the best time of year to start shouting about your cause. This year, it’s the 10th anniversary of Giving Tuesday, so there will be even more buzz about it than usual. One idea that springs to mind is ‘donate $10 for the 10th Giving Tuesday’… perhaps that will help boost your fundraiser to the right amount.

What is Giving Tuesday?

It’s an opportunity for people to give back to charities and organizations they believe in by donating their time or money, but it’s also a chance for fundraisers to share why people should donate to their cause. It’s seen huge social success over the years using the hashtag #GivingTuesday so be sure to add this to any material you use to promote yourself. A number of people celebrate generously and it is a day that encourages people to spread the word and participate in Giving Tuesday. This national day, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, helps kick off the holiday season.

Get organized with Giving Tuesday

Now, it’s important to understand that just because there is a lot of hype surrounding Giving Tuesday it doesn’t mean everyone will come flocking to your donation page just because you mention it once or twice. If there’s a lot of noise around a topic, you need to be one of the people shouting as simple talking isn’t going to get you heard.

So get prepared. When are you going to post on social media? What times are best to reach people in community groups online? Does your email list respond best in the morning or the evening? If you’re going to host an event on  Giving Tuesday, make sure it’s at a time when you can maximize your audience:after work or at lunchtime (make it a long lunchtime, not just one hour). Plan out your entire day and the launch process! Give teasers about what’s to come. 

Create a unique campaign for Giving Tuesday

Remember when we said you need to stand out from the noise that’s being created on Giving Tuesday? Well, your campaign is the key to that. No matter what you’re raising money for, you need to do something special for Giving Tuesday. There will be plenty of organizations announcing something crazy, and launching huge campaigns so this isn’t something you want to rush. Get the team together, sit down, and really think this one through.

If you’re struggling in the creativity department, start by thinking about who you are and what you stand for. If you’re a football team, then why not look at hosting a charity game? If you’re a community programme for feeding the hungry, why not look at having a huge cookout? Perhaps you’re trying to raise money for the homeless, so why not do a big sponsored campout? Remember, peer to peer fundraising is a powerful tool – use it. If you’re unsure, check out our peer-to-peer fundraising article.

Set yourself up for success

Whether you’re running a silent auction, raffle or bake sale, you want to be prepared to receive donations in advance of Giving Tuesday. This means getting organized with your online donation page. As we mentioned, you may look at encouraging peer-to-peer fundraising – in which case get your fundraisers to set up their page in advance too.

On your online page, explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it but more importantly, what people need to do to get involved. Everything needs to have a call to action and it needs to be clear. If you’re hosting a cookout, tell people to ‘buy a ticket’. If you’re doing a camp out get people to ‘sign up to take part’. If it’s a bake sale, ask people to ‘donate a cake’ or ‘come hungry’. One call to action per message. Make it simple and clear. While it’s important to tell people why you’re doing it, it’s more important to tell them what you want them to do.

This time of year is incredibly charitable. Many people are in the festive mood for donating, so telling someone they’re doing something great by donating isn’t new information. ‘Donate to the homeless because they need somewhere to sleep, it’s cold, it’s the right thing to do’… Nobody needs to be convinced that helping someone in need is the right thing to do. What they need to know is how to do it, so be direct. ‘Donate $10 to the homeless by clicking this link’. Of course, some of your marketing material will need to include persuasive language, but don’t underestimate the importance of the call to action and how obvious it needs to be to your reader.

People are generous, festive and jolly during the most wonderful time of the year. But for fundraisers, it can be extremely tiring and stressful if not well-thought-out and planned. That’s why we’ve created this ultimate guide so you don’t need to panic about getting all your ducks in a row before the year ends.

It’s time to target your fundraising efforts

As we’ve already mentioned, people tend to be increasingly generous at the end of the year. It’s the time for giving to those less fortunate. For us, as fundraisers, it’s time for us to maximize that generosity and make the most of everything at our disposal. 17% of donations worldwide happen in the last month of the year. Would you like to see your donations increase by 17%? We thought so!

Take a look at who is already donating to you. Are they male, female, over 40 or under 40? Do they live in State or are they international? By analyzing who is already donating to you, you’ll be able to discover who is the perfect target for this time of year.

By targeting an audience with bespoke information you increase the chances of them donating. It might be stroking their ego by telling them what a hero they are, it might be speaking to their kinder side by telling them how much good their money will do. It could even be an exchange: when they donate they get something of no monetary amount. It could be a personalized GIF or cartoon drawing of their profile picture. It might be an event going on in their favorite part of town that they’re always checking in to online. The deeper you dig with your data the more opportunities you will have to target.

Start your fundraising early

We know that typically the festive season is a week or two at the end of December, but let’s be honest, people are putting up their decorations in November these days! Don’t hesitate on a good idea. If you have something you want to do for your fundraising campaign, start it now! It’s like a good diet, don’t wait around for Monday, any day is as good as the rest.

By starting early, we understand there may be some fear of running out of ideas. However, research shows that that isn’t true. The more fundraising we do, the more events inspire us and therefore the more ideas we generate. All that happens is that you get fun new ideas to test after your original plan of fundraising events ends.

Remember that while some of your fundraisings might be a single event, you can transform others into a series. You can go carol singing each Sunday for a month. Have a #DonateWednesday book club where everyone who is part of a book club donates $1 to the cause. You might have a running total of a target to hit by New Year’s Eve and the promotion you share features the running total.

Reach out to your existing audience

Part of the efforts you should go to during your end-of-year giving is to reach out to your existing audience. No matter how you have engaged with your donors in the past, let them know they are appreciated. Thank them for their previous donation, let them know the good it is doing and then encourage them to make another. You’ll be surprised how many people will happily donate again, just because it’s the festive season.

Remain stress-free with technology

It all sounds like a lot of effort doesn’t it? Extra events, more promotions, increasing donations, it’s been a long tiring year anyway, the last thing you have in you is to increase your efforts by 17%. But what if we said that you don’t need to do all that heavy lifting? There’s so much technology these days that can help you in your fundraising efforts, if you’re not already using it then now is the time. 

Here are just a few ways that fundraising technology platforms like Givergy can help with your year end giving:

• Track ongoing goals and expectations. You don’t need to manually tally up the numbers coming in, just watch the counter tick upwards.
• Communicate with all donors. Enter all your emails into the system and scheduled them to send using the platform. Responses and additional contacts can all be monitored and controlled in the same place.
• Create accessible donations online. By having one simple link people can access and donate through, it means there are fewer barriers to receiving more donations. If people see donating to your cause as easy as buying a pair of jeans from an online store, you’ll quickly see donations shooting up.
• Utilize peer-to-peer fundraising efforts. We’ve created a guide to peer-to-peer fundraising, be sure to check it out. Especially during the festive season, everyone wants to be seen as doing good things for great causes. Make sure yours is one of them.

Whether you’re looking to trial new ways of fundraising throughout the year or in need of more reactive and flexible fundraising solutions, the unlimited package from Givergy has got you covered. This means you have year-round access to our complete portfolio of award-winning solutions whenever you need them, helping you maximise your return on investment. With so many options available, selecting what works best for your non-profit organization can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together this easy service guide to allow you to compare features quickly. 

Want to know which methods could offer your organization the best value? Keep on reading, and don’t forget to check out our case studies!

Must-Use Givergy Unlimited Features

Auctions

These are simple to create, interactive, and offer endless possibilities, making them a popular choice. Many of our clients prefer exclusively using auctions to hit all their fundraising goals.

Although auctions are popular choice for bringing in donations, they can be complex to organise, facilitate, and follow up with, which is why our solution is favoured. Our Campaign Management System (CMS) is your go-to-place to manage bids, notify participants, export reports, and so much more. We also offer a suite of coveted auction items, ranging from everyday gifts to luxury experiences.

Our silent auctions are also highly celebrated as they provide a more contemporary way for donations to be made. If you want to avoid additional event costs but still want to maintain an exciting, engaging environment, this option is for you.

Prize Draws

Depending on where your organisation is based, you may want to take part in prize draws. Often dictated by regional laws, this technique is an excellent way to maximise the number of donors involved in a giveaway. Because there’s only one winner, they encourage multiple payingentries,which increases the potential to fundraise more. You can spotlight exclusive items, involve social media contests, and manage everything through our centralised system.

Prize draws can include Raffles, Golden Tickets, Wine Pulls – the list can go on!

Donation Appeals

It’s important to remember that amidst the interactive events and amazing prizes, fundraising is an emotive task with important causes at the centre. Using storytelling through donation appeals bring these causes to life. Incorporating a face to the brand, explaining how the donations are used, and even sharing more information about the purpose and passions of the organisation are all ways to resonate with donors. Forms of appeals that can be facilitated through Givergy, include:

• Live Event Appeals (Otherwise known as a Donation Moment, Ask, Fund-A-Need, Hand or Paddle Raise, Cash Call):  The Live Appeal often generates large donations as they can be tailored to suit specific audiences. It’s helpful if the auctioneer or speaker is familiar with the cause, as answering questions and sharing unique information is key. This type of interaction is also brilliant for working the room and improving participation, which helps you achieve not only your fundraising goals, but enhance the general conversation around your cause.

• Year Round Giving Campaigns: Ditch the extra event expenses for year-round donation campaigns with Givergy Unlimited. This is a great way to bridge the gap between annual events to ensure you’re always bringing in funds. Having a frequent way to facilitate giving also allows your calls to action to be consistent throughout your marketing campaigns, improving your chances of bringing in donations. As always, you can view how much money you’ve raised at any given time through our CMS.

• General Messaging: Givergy Unlimited supports your organisation with donor communication so that they stay up to date with the latest information in your world. No third-party system is needed! Customize your lists and send emails or text messages with direct links to donation pages for a clear call to action.

Event Ticketing

Deciding the type of event to host is one thing, but seamlessly executing it is another task to contend with! That’s why we offer a full ticketing service. By having your details streamlined in our CMS, you can immediately understand everything about your attendees and gain new ideas of further promotional work you may need to do to push your event.

Event Check-In

We understand that knowing exactly who is attending your event is essential for keeping records up to date. One of our goals with Givergy Unlimited is to offer you simple ways to reduce overheads and maximise your fundraising profits, which is why we include tools like our check-in service.

Thanks to the Givergy Event App, organisations can save money by running their check-in at events without staff and by using their own devices. This easy-to-use platform also automatically updates your contact list to ensure easy follow-up after your event.

The feedback from our clients has been very positive, with many commenting on how easy and intuitive the app is to use.

Givergy Unlimited at its Finest

The beauty of having different fundraising opportunities available is that you can completely tailor them to your cause. We understand that a one-fits-all solution is not the best way for non-profits to achieve their goals. Instead, we promote individual use of each of our services and are thrilled to see the many ways in which organisations are having success with our solutions!

Here are just a few examples of campaigns that our clients have run using the Givergy Unlimited platform as the foundation for achieving their goals:

• Virtual Auctions– Everybody loves a chance to grab a bargain and repurpose something that’s no longer wanted or being used. Auction prizes don’t always have to be new items, and thanks to the success of online bidding sites, people are already familiar with what it means to win something digitally. Our silent auction feature supports this type of fundraising, with all proceeds of the “sale” going to the organisation of choice. If you want to see how this works, check out the successful virtual car boot sale that Women for Women International held.

• In-Person Auctions– As showcased by the Hampshire Medical Fund, silent auctions can be seamlessly woven into in-person events through the Givergy Unlimited app. They used tablets to ensure their guests had a chance to bid on various prizes throughout the evening event, which helped them achieve their fundraising target.

• Seasonal Campaigns and Virtual Wish Lists – Using seasonal events within donation appeals is a brilliant way of harnessing the buzz around a pre-determined date in the calendar to boost awareness of your cause. A wish list allows you to present where funds are going in a unique way when a donation is made. People love a good story, and they usually want to understand exactly how their donation is helping you cause. Using this part of the Givergy Unlimited portal helps your organisation be relatable at different times of the year.

• Giving Tuesday – Our Unlimited clients love to take advantage of running a Giving Tuesday campaign. 

This popular day allows an additional opportunity to raise funds with a global generosity movement backing the campaign. The instantly recognisable term has a positive sentiment that people love interacting with. To help you facilitate this, the organisation behind Giving Tuesday has graphics and logos available to download here: https://www.givingtuesday.org/logos/

• Feature Combo – This case study for the Devon Young Carers is a fantastic example of how our Unlimited service can open up opportunities to combine techniques. By running both an auction and a prize draw, the charity was able to appeal to all donor types. Some people love taking part in an auction whereas others prefer a prize draw. Therefore, having all bases covered guarantees that your audience is catered to and that your campaign is a success. After your campaign is complete, our included reporting features allow you to make informed decisions about every step in the process.

How can I sign up for Givergy Unlimited?

The world of unlimited fundraising is easy to navigate when you get in touch with us. When you register for this annual service, you’ll be coached through an onboarding plan, gain access to 24/7 live chat support, and can begin using the above bespoke services. 

No two clients use this service the same, which is what we love about it! We make digital fundraising professional and achievable by taking the guesswork out of donating online. Being flexible, reactive, and equipped is essential to making the most out of any opportunity.

Givergy Unlimited helps you operate more efficiently, effectively raising more for your organisation.Our easy-to-use platform is a brilliant way of staying in control of your as your teams manage it all in-house. Say goodbye to relying on third parties or feeling out of touch with your fundraising efforts. We put you at the centre of it all to continue the positive impact needed for your cause.

Want to learn more? Read all about Givergy Unlimited here.

It’s no secret that technology has developed our world at a rapid rate. In the last couple of decades alone we’ve gone from having a mobile phone with an antenna attached that only made and received calls – to an entire world at our fingertips. Technology has advanced science, social and economical growth in the world so it is no surprise that it has impacted fundraising.

New technologies have changed the way we raise awareness for good causes, the types of fundraising we do and how we collect and spend donations. So let’s take a look at some of the most impactful technological advances and how you can use them to benefit your fundraising.

Reaching wider audiences

The more people that know about your fundraising event the better. It can be difficult and expensive to spread the word in your community. Using leaflets to send in the mail, putting posters up in community centers and hoping that the neighbors talk about your event. That used to be the only way that you could spread the word about a fundraising event, but now, thanks to technology, there are plenty of methods.

One of the most popular is social media. In today’s society, if something is going on in the local area, you’ll find it on social channels. Town groups and city informational pages are great for sending out this information and all you need to do is get in touch with those who run the pages (some will allow you to just post the information). The best part about using social media this way? It’s free.

As well as social media, schools now have newsletters, businesses have channels to communicate with employees. There’s plenty of free channels to spread the word to your audience about a fundraising event. With a little bit of effort, your event could reach eyes and ears around the world, especially if it’s hosted virtually.

Internet discussion pages

Blogs and news outlets might seem a little old in terms of technology but for fundraising, they’re proving themselves to be an asset time and time again. If someone is searching for events in a particular area, where do they go? Google. If someone writes about a particular event on their blog or news outlets, where does it appear? Google. So getting in touch with these types of media as they are great for fundraising – whether you’re the person looking to donate or the host of the event.

Even better, if you’re looking to raise funds for a larger charity, they will have their own dedicated website. You could pop a news item on their blog and they can send it out to their international audience. When people make donations to larger charities, they will more than likely capture data such as emails. Your event, could be directly emailed to thousands of people who already care about the cause. Giving you even more attention than you could have imagined.

Online donations

Technology has done wonders in terms of donations. The cash economy is dying, there’s no doubt about that. Thanks to coronavirus and the pandemic, cash is even more of a commodity. Everybody is using their credit card to spend money, no matter how small the amount is. Thankfully, online donations have meant that people can still donate to their favorite cause, whenever, even if they don’t have any cash.

Givergy’s Chief Revenue Officer, Tim Stansbury, says, “Digital fundraising is a way for nonprofits to ensure their causes have a secured future and impact is never lost. Donations are crucial, so it’s important to meet people where they are. In this case, that means online.”

Online donations work in a number of ways. Of course there is mobile banking which can seem quick but sometimes isn’t very secure. Fortunately, technology has advanced even further in the world of online donations so that it’s as easy as buying a pair of shoes. Transactions can even be accumulated and show a running total so that visitors can see how much the event has already raised – pushing people to donate more money.

Virtual hosting of events

Fundraising events in more recent years have completely transformed thanks to technology. Before it was all about getting as many people as possible to a single location and raising money within a tight time frame. The truth is, that it wasn’t great at making the most of fundraising donations. While some events started to host donating online, the actual event still took place in real-time, making it more difficult to convince people to donate before or after the event.

Now that events can be hosted online, people can tune in from all across the world. There’s even the possibility to record and email events after they have happened virtually so that people can still watch the entertainment, but what does this mean for fundraising? It transforms your event into something completely accessible, meaning you can maximize profits. 

We truly believe that virtual events are the future for fundraising. If it’s a new type of technology that you’re not quite familiar with, be sure to check out the virtual fundraising guides we have created. Soon enough you’ll see that there is no need to be apprehensive and it’s far easier and more efficient than you could have anticipated.

Targeted donations

Have you ever been talking about buying a product with a friend and then all of a sudden saw an advert for it on your social media feed? Many people will tell you it’s because your phone is listening to you. While that isn’t quite officially confirmed, your moves on the internet are being tracked through various technologies. Why is this a new technology for fundraising? Well it means that you can target a particular audience with your event.

Remember back in the day when you would advertise your event by printing leaflets and putting them in letterboxes? Well, it’s time to get familiar with online advertising platforms such as the Facebook Ads manager and Google Ads. Of course, like any type of advertising it will cost you money to produce these. But the reason why targeted ads are so good, is because you’re speaking to people who already care about your cause. The worry of sending out leaflets to homes is that you don’t know if people are interested, whereas with targeted ads, you can select an audience that is already aware of you, your charity and perhaps even your event.

Packaged events

We’ve said it a few times but planning a fundraising event is not a simple and easy task. Depending on the size of course, it can take months of planning, multiple groups of people to coordinate and a big pot of money, but thanks to technology, the entire process has been simplified with packaged events.

At Givergy, we’ve utilized the very best of technology to bring fundraising events packaged, directly to you. There’s no need to worry about how to collect donations, how to source items for an auction, registering donators, branding, reporting and even virtual event integration. There’s plenty more information on our site, but we’re proud to say that we have perfected the process of bringing technology to fundraising events.

Having a packaged fundraising event means you can spend more time doing what you love and less time planning all the elements of your event. It also means that you can store all the data from your event so that the next time you decide to fundraise, you’ll have all the information you need to create another successful event. 

Whether you maintained a full events schedule during the pandemic or are just starting to return to the world of interactive fundraising now, there are certain changes that everyone needs to make in 2022.

Influences such as the ongoing pandemic ripples, the cost-of-living crisis, and broader worldly events will all impact the success of your fundraising.

At Givergy, we believe that digital adaptation is the way forward, which is why our packages are ideal for use no matter what is happening in the world. When combined with memorable events, these cash-building methods are a sure-fire way to bring in the big bucks.

But just like how we live our lives is now sure to be different for everyone, some changes need to be considered to ensure fundraising triumph in 2022. Here are our top tips for modernising your events.

All 2022 fundraising events should have a virtual plug in

In-person events are still the best way to maximise your fundraising capabilities. The benefits of networking, creating in room competition for bids, and improved audience experience can also lead to increased awareness for your cause. However, whilst people are enjoying the chance to again attend in-person, the reality is that sometimes things do get in the way. Therefore, virtual links are essential to increase the audience size and scope of operations. Online fundraising can be used as a standalone tool or combined with an in-person event. This means that those who cannot attend can still make donations or participate competitively in your auction.

Pay attention to the trends

Decadent galas and sociable lunches will always be a brilliant type of event to consider for fundraising, but the change of times has also brought with it some new trends. Social trends allow reactive fundraising opportunities to be highlighted, which with the increased number of social users, opens opportunities for prize draws, online donations and online auctions  to take place. Everyone remembers the ALS ice bucket challenge as a viral fundraising technique that hit the web on a global scale. Whether you are able to jump on a viral trend, create your own, or just harness the power of social communication, the possibilities for increased fundraising are limitless.

Video content is also a huge trend on social media at the moment, with Tik-Tok becoming one of the most popular platforms during the pandemic. The option for live streaming and donations means you can use your feeds to raise even more funds. It is also not just live video but also posted content that continues to increase in popularity. Having a viral, high-quality video produced to support your campaign is essential for views, likes, shares, and of course donations! Finally, Peer to Peer fundraising is also popular, with the option to now fundraise on both Instagram and Facebook to mark special occasions including birthdays.

The type of event that you run can also have a significant impact on the audience that you attract. With donation potential running the risk of being affected by external national, internal, and global influencers, it might be worth considering some modern experiences for gaining interest. These could include:

• Bottomless brunches
• Social media influencer live streams
• Virtual music concerts and comedy shows
• Talent shows
• Silent Auctions

Every detail matters so much more

Getting events right is always important, but even more so now that guests may not have attended shows for a little while. Getting the planning right and learning from any previous mistakes will help you eliminate any issues whilst optimising logistics for any last-minute changes that 2022 can bring.

You should carefully consider planning and logistics, chosen fundraising types, staffing, and post-event follow-ups as the main categories of event management. Details along the way including supporting communications, branding, personalised features, and even something as small as the place settings on your tables will all be remembered and feed into your ability to raise more money.

Modern fundraising themes will be essential

If the past few years of digitally steered fundraising have taught us anything, simplified processes will positively impact both charity staff and donators. Fundraising techniques, such as 50:50 raffles, on-site card payments, and live auction events allow for contemporary payment methods to be adopted. This not only means that more people will be able to take part and spare the cash, but it also ensures your event is targeted to an increased audience. These streamlined cash-collecting methods echo the direct approach that people expect when they tap their watch to pay for their shopping or checkout online with the click of just one button. An added benefit is that your charity will be perceived as being contemporary and forward-thinking, positively impacting your overall brand perception. In people’s fast-paced lives, being adaptable and ready to secure donations is vital.

Communication is key

We are sure you have stayed in touch with your audience during the pandemic, but so has everyone else, making competition for attention high! With increased digital communications flooding the inboxes of everyone, standing out and being concise with your message is more important than ever. Guest messaging services allow you to maximise attendance at an event, improve engagement rates, increase donations, and encompass both pre- and post-event follow-ups. Your event needs to stand out and be simple to run for your teams which is why our interaction features can be automated via your own CMS (Campaign Management System). Donators want to feel special and know that they have made a difference which this form of messaging can help you achieve. Rules and regulations can be complex in the world of GDPR but don’t worry, Givergy have got that covered for you!

Also, the type of messaging that you use should be adapted to the way that people operate in 2022. This means that using text services, social media messaging, and instant email responses, where possible, are essential for aligning with what your audience will expect.

Content is also incredibly important as you are looking for emotional connections in order to secure longer term donations. Showcasing exactly what the money raised can achieve along with detail breakdowns for all donations, no matter how small, will improve engagement. This also improves your legitimacy and over brand presence.

Ready to run your event?

Events are exciting and a brilliant way to bring excitement to your very worthy cause. Our goal at Givergy is to give you the tools you need to stand out and make an impact. Whether you are holding live or online events, our platform will allow you to maximise fundraising activities that suit the modern donator. People and businesses have changed, and with Givergy, your charitable cause can also be bought to the forefront of the digital world that 2022 offers. 

For any more information or advice from us, just get in touch.