Safe Toy & Gift Fundraisers

December is Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month, which makes the topic a great theme for your upcoming fundraisers. The concept would particularly be fitting if you’re planning an online fundraising for nonprofits, whose cause is related to child welfare or disabilities. Here are some ideas you can try which can be carried out (in one or more ways):

• Solicit toys or gift items that are labelled/proven safe or recommended for certain age groups, and sell them online. For instance, you can limit the donations to items for newborns or for toddlers. Aside from playthings, you can also look for accessories or apparel for children, baby essentials like strollers or diaper bags, etc. Make sure that all items are made of safe materials and designed to be non-hazardous to its users.
• Alternatively, sell appropriate toys or gifts for children with disabilities, such as talking dolls for children with blindness or interactive books and gadgets for children with autism or attention deficit disorders (ADD). Research the items that would truly be beneficial or appreciated by kids with special needs, so you know what you will solicit.
• As another variety to the selling event, let generous individuals or corporations buy these toys and gifts for the beneficiaries of your organization. If you don’t have any yet, partner with orphanages, special education schools, and other institutions to find recipients for the sponsored gifts.

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FB: 3 Ways to Help Nonprofits

Despite the growing popularity of Twitter and Instagram, Facebook is still considered the king of social media platforms. As such, you’ll want to be sure to utilize Facebook if you plan to launch a social media fundraising campaign.

With its many functions, Facebook opens up many avenues for you to try out when it comes to fundraising. Here are a few ideas you can try on this versatile platform:

“Changing for Change”

Have people change their profile pictures to something that helps raise awareness for your cause (e.g. a picture of a cartoon animal). As people donate, you can send them a new cover photo that shows they donated and how others can donate as well.

“Sponsor an Artist”

Are you trying to promote a local arts nonprofit? Ask the beneficiaries to submit their best photos or photos of their best artworks and compile them into a Facebook album. You can have people place bids on the artist(s). Winners will then receive an exclusive artwork (not necessarily the one from the photo) from the artist he or she sponsors.

“It’s All about Connecting”

Do you know a popular celebrity or athlete? Ask them to help you raise funds for your cause. The celebrity can then ask for donations through their Facebook profile on your behalf and redirect traffic to your fundraising page. You can then reward a lucky donor (through a random selection process) with a dinner with the celebrity.

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Raise More Money from Auctions

Holding an online auction is already a cost-effective way for nonprofit organizations to raise money, but there are simple steps you can do to raise even more money than you normally would in a live or silent auction. Here are three:

Provide high-quality images.

Most internet users respond more to visual images than text, so it’s important to grab their attention by providing high-quality images. These don’t have to be shots taken by professional photographers. They can simply be taken by someone in your staff who has a knack for photography. Remember, the more visually interesting your pictures are, the better chances you’ll have in getting high bids.

Include a detailed description.

Prepare a detailed description to accompany your pictures. Avoid sounding too generic, though, that the item sounds like a run-of-the-mill one. Avoid sounding too fancy either that internet users have no idea of what you’re talking about. For instance, if you’re putting jewelry pieces for auction, fast-fashion may be too flamboyant when describing them, so simply write the type of accessory, e.g. rhinestone, sterling silver, etc.

Set a deadline.

With most online auction resources, you can set a deadline for accepting bids. This creates a sense of urgency in your online audience, and pushes them to act quickly if they are interested in supporting your cause and getting the item you auctioned off.

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3 Social Media Fundraisers

Social media is the “in thing” today. Many people have a Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube account—which makes using social media as a fundraising platform a fantastic idea. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Facebook

Create a Facebook page detailing your cause and your fundraising goal. You can then start accepting odd jobs from other people to help raise money. By using Facebook, you can easily reach a wider audience in a shorter amount of time.

Twitter/Instagram

Do you remember “Blue’s Clues”? Take a page out of the hit children’s show and hide clues all over town. Then, have participants take a selfie next to the clues and upload it on their Twitter and/or Instagram accounts. Once they find all the clues, they can guess what the clues represent and win a prize if they guess correctly. This takes thorough planning, but it’s sure to be a hit with children and adults alike.

YouTube

Stage a city-wide recipe contest, but instead of asking them to simply send in recipes, have contestants channel their inner-Rachel Ray and present the recipe through a “cooking show”. Raise even more funds by having local food producers sponsor your fundraiser. You can then collect the recipes and fashion them into a cookbook you can sell.

Although we mentioned these 3 platforms, don’t limit yourself to these options. There are hundreds of other social media sites you can use to stage your fundraiser. Have fun coming up with your own unique ideas!

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Tips for Maximizing Online Fundraising Sites

There was a time when silent auctions were the staple of fundraising, but holding a silent auction these days doesn’t happen without cost. You have to have money to spare to afford the venue, the host, cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres. If you can’t afford a live silent auction, take your auction online. Here are a few useful suggestions:

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Simple Online Fundraising Ideas

Online fundraising isn’t limited to simply selling items (although it is a great way to raise funds for your preferred nonprofit). The digital plane is a vast world with many opportunities waiting to be discovered. With that in mind, here are a few online fundraising ideas you can try.

Email Solicitations

Email solicitations have been around for as long as most people can remember. In fact, it’s still one of the most effective ways to ask people for donations to your cause. Expand your connections and hone your writing skills, and you’ll soon be raising plenty of money.

Create a YouTube Challenge

Start a YouTube channel and ask your friends to share it on other social media channels. Create a video of yourself explaining your cause and asking people to contribute. Commit to doing something crazy after reaching a certain goal, like shaving your head on camera or submerging yourself in ice water upon raising $1,000. People will be encouraged to donate with the prospect of getting to see you embarrass yourself!

Meme Making Contest

Take a page out of 9GAG’s playbook and stage a meme-making contest. Provide a picture for contestants to use and charge a small entrance fee. Set aside a small fraction of the total donation amount and hand it as a prize to the winner of the contest. Better yet, ask a local business to sponsor prizes so you can give the entire donated amount to charity while giving the winner a unique prize.

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