Top Tools for a Successful Nonprofit Fundraising Campaign in 2024

Do you want to host great fundraising events for your nonprofit? Check out which tools can help you make the most of it.

Fundraising tools are essential to the success of any non-profit organization. Without your fundraising efforts and donors, your non-profit organization has no support, and without adequate financial aid, how will you advance your cause?

Nevertheless, fundraising does not always guarantee that you will obtain sufficient funds to achieve your campaign objectives and accomplish your projects. We realize that fundraising can be quite tricky, but there is a range of distinct marketing tools specially designed to help with the execution and management of fundraising campaigns, to enable organizations to be more focused on raising more money and managing their donors.

Digital tools have wholly transformed the way non-profits connect with their donors. And now, what’s more, complicated than fundraising is figuring out which fundraising tools are right for your organization. It is often crucial to make this decision, considering that the majority of non-profit organizations work on shoestring budgets.

Through this post, you will not only learn about the essential digital tools for fundraising but also how to apply them to create a successful fundraising presentation. The tools outlined below have proven instrumental in taking your fundraising journey to another level, thus reducing administrative overhead. With the exact needs of your organization in mind, if you see any tools on the list that look like a great fit, kindly note them.

1. MailChimp

Well, I’m one of the biggest supporters of social media, maybe because I am a millenarian. However, I have to say that one of the essential factors lies in email marketing.

Derek Halpern carried out his mini-experiment, where he forwarded a blog post through Google+, email, Twitter. Google + has 75 clicks. Twitter has 50 clicks. There are a similar number of followers across each platform. Then, he forwarded an email. The email had over 1,200 clicks, but his email subscribers were only twice the number of followers on the other platforms. A message view rate is naturally higher via email, which results in engagement.

Using MailChimp and its contender, Aweber, will help your charitable cause and will also provide you with statistics on clicks, open email rates, and the feature to send an email to your list.

2. Wistia

Although I like to post videos on YouTube. I use Wistia for all my freemium and premium training courses.

I’m a big fan of their service. They provide you with the tools to create professional-looking videos, which can be embedded in your non-profit website.

First, they’ll give you heat maps on video, so you can know when visitors go offline. Then you get engagement charts and lots of useful analytics. Lastly, you can also use the email collection feature to direct your viewers’ attention to email signup after viewing the video. This is a great way to get your donors’ attention.

3. BetterWorld

BetterWorld believes that organizations should keep 100% of the funds they raise. The platform allows nonprofits to access a full suite of best-in-class fundraising tools, completely for free. No tacky ads, no sharing data, no “platform fee.” Tools include auctions, giveaways, crowdfunding, and more!

4. Buffer

I religiously use Buffer to help schedule content for my different social media. I am also using the tool now to grow my Instagram account, which so far has more than 10,000 followers.

One of the most difficult parts about growing a social media following is being consistent about publishing content. Buffer does that, so no worries.

As you plan to launch your online fundraising campaign, using a tool like Buffer can help to schedule content for your social media accounts. You will also get insights into which posts or contents are getting attention.

5. Google Analytics

Google analytics provide in-depth analysis to help you get to know your potential donors better.

This tool can make you look like a magician. I have been able to deliver measurable results in this puzzling online world, but that is because I have spent time learning about my target audience – this is what Google Analytics can help you with.

Regardless of how much you feel you know about your potential non-profit sponsors, a Google Analytics tool will give you even more insight.

It’s very easy to implement on your website so you can start gathering gold marketing data.

6. Canva

Forget about breaking the bank for an expensive designer. Canva is your lifesaver!

You can select from many templates and create social media graphics, cards and invitations, banners, posters, and much more.

The thing I like about the tool is that it has a lot of free and premium themes. You do not need to go bankrupt to get professional-looking images.

As a not-for-profit organization, you should be cautious about how you spend your income.

7. Slack

I get a lot and a lot of emails. I’m also sure you do. One way to reduce the number of emails involving a special project is to use an application like Slack

Another good thing about this application is that you can create public and private rooms and send messages directly to users in the system.

Slack is a powerful team management tool because everyone can quickly track what’s going on. Besides, you can configure it so that all notifications relating to an event go directly to Slack. Finally, it’s easy to drag and drop files so everyone can have access to them.

8. Eventbrite

Although some of the existing non-profit and crowdfunding fundraising platforms provide ticketing functionality, not all of them do. If you are considering organizing a fundraising event for your non-profit organization, an Eventbrite could be used to sell tickets.

It is very simple to organize an event, market the event, sell tickets, and possibly give commissions to people selling the event tickets.

9. Donorbox

Donorbox is a robust donation platform focused on the fundraising needs of non-profit organizations. In addition to the feature to customize forms, Zapier’s integrations with tools such as MailChimp allow you to handle donor communications. The software is enhanced to receive donations in twenty major currencies and has newly added GooglePay and ApplyPay as payment options.

10. Text-to-give

Text-to-give has proven to be a very successful and profitable fundraising platform for many not-for-profit organizations as a result of the growing saturation of mobile telephony.

Text messaging is a natural match for non-profits, as it is an efficient way to raise more money. It also has a high response and open rates. Many non-profits have leveraged these impressive figures to create their own. Look at these tools to see if they are appropriate for your nonprofit organization.

Conclusion

Keeping abreast of technological advances will help you increase the return on your non-profit marketing investment. Whether it’s adopting an entirely new medium, these tools mentioned above will help your non-profit organization achieve its goals.

FAQ

What are essential tools for planning a nonprofit fundraising campaign?

Essential tools include fundraising software for donor management, email marketing platforms for outreach, social media management tools for engagement, and project management software for campaign coordination.

How can donor management software benefit nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

Donor management software helps nonprofits track donor information, manage relationships, segment donor lists for personalized communication, automate donation tracking, and analyze donor giving patterns for targeted campaigns.

What role do email marketing platforms play in nonprofit fundraising?

Email marketing platforms facilitate outreach to donors and supporters, allowing nonprofits to send personalized fundraising appeals, newsletters, event invitations, and donation receipts to maintain donor engagement and support.

How do social media management tools contribute to nonprofit fundraising success?

Social media management tools enable nonprofits to reach a broader audience, promote fundraising campaigns, share impact stories, engage followers through interactive content, and drive traffic to donation pages.

What are the benefits of using crowdfunding platforms for nonprofit fundraising?

Crowdfunding platforms provide nonprofits with a platform to showcase projects, reach a global donor base, set fundraising goals, offer perks or rewards for donations, and leverage social sharing for campaign visibility and momentum.

How can event management software support nonprofit fundraising events?

Event management software helps nonprofits plan and execute fundraising events seamlessly, manage attendee registrations, track event logistics and expenses, coordinate volunteers, and analyze event success metrics for future planning.

What role does peer-to-peer fundraising software play in nonprofit campaigns?

Peer-to-peer fundraising software empowers supporters to create personal fundraising pages, solicit donations from their networks, track fundraising progress in real-time, and amplify campaign reach through social sharing and competition.

How can CRM systems enhance donor relationships in nonprofit fundraising?

CRM systems (Customer Relationship Management) centralize donor data, track interactions, personalize communications based on donor preferences, automate follow-ups, and segment donors for targeted fundraising appeals and stewardship.

How do analytics and reporting tools benefit nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

Analytics and reporting tools provide nonprofits with insights into campaign performance, donor behavior, donation trends, and ROI on fundraising efforts, enabling data-driven decisions and continuous campaign optimization.

What are the considerations for selecting the right nonprofit fundraising tools?

Considerations include scalability to accommodate campaign growth, integration capabilities with existing systems (e.g., website, payment gateways), user-friendliness for staff and volunteers, cost-effectiveness, and customer support quality.

How can virtual event platforms support online fundraising efforts for nonprofits?

Virtual event platforms enable nonprofits to host virtual galas, webinars, and peer-to-peer fundraising events, engage attendees with interactive features, accept online donations in real-time, and measure event success through attendee analytics.

What role does mobile fundraising technology play in reaching donors?

Mobile fundraising technology allows nonprofits to accept donations via mobile-optimized websites, SMS/text-to-give campaigns, mobile apps, and mobile payment processing solutions, catering to donors’ preferences for convenience and accessibility.

How do advocacy and petition platforms contribute to nonprofit fundraising goals?

Advocacy and petition platforms help nonprofits mobilize supporters around causes, collect signatures, drive engagement through advocacy campaigns, and convert engaged supporters into donors through targeted fundraising appeals.

1How can A/B testing tools optimize nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

A/B testing tools enable nonprofits to test different fundraising strategies, donation page layouts, email subject lines, and call-to-action buttons, identify what resonates best with donors, and improve campaign conversion rates over time.

What are the security considerations when using online donation platforms for nonprofit fundraising?

Security considerations include ensuring PCI compliance for handling payment information securely, using SSL encryption on donation pages, protecting donor data from cyber threats, and maintaining transparency in data handling practices to build donor trust.

How can content management systems (CMS) support nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

Content management systems (CMS) enable nonprofits to create and manage compelling campaign content, update website pages, publish impact stories, and optimize SEO to attract donors and drive engagement.

What role does video conferencing software play in nonprofit fundraising efforts?

Video conferencing software facilitates virtual donor meetings, online fundraising events, and interactive webinars, enabling nonprofits to engage donors face-to-face, share impactful stories, and solicit donations in real-time.

How can matching gift platforms enhance nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

Matching gift platforms enable nonprofits to leverage corporate matching gift programs, promote matching opportunities to donors, increase donation impact, and encourage higher giving through employer matching contributions.

What are the benefits of using SMS/text messaging platforms for nonprofit fundraising?

SMS/text messaging platforms provide nonprofits with direct communication channels to send donation appeals, event reminders, and urgent campaign updates to donors’ mobile phones, driving immediate response and engagement.

How can CRM integration with social media platforms enhance nonprofit fundraising?

CRM integration with social media platforms allows nonprofits to capture donor interactions, track social media engagement, identify potential donors, and nurture relationships through targeted social media campaigns and personalized outreach.

What role do donor recognition and stewardship tools play in nonprofit fundraising success?

Donor recognition and stewardship tools help nonprofits acknowledge donor contributions, personalize thank-you messages, update donors on impact outcomes, and cultivate long-term relationships to foster continued support.

How can virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies enhance nonprofit fundraising efforts?

VR and AR technologies create immersive donor experiences, showcase impact projects in interactive ways, evoke emotional connections with causes, and inspire donors to contribute to nonprofit missions through innovative storytelling.

What strategies can nonprofits use to integrate storytelling into their fundraising efforts?

Nonprofits can integrate storytelling by sharing compelling narratives, testimonials from beneficiaries, visual storytelling through photos and videos, demonstrating impact through case studies, and connecting donors emotionally to the cause.

How do advocacy platforms help nonprofits mobilize supporters and amplify fundraising efforts?

Advocacy platforms enable nonprofits to engage supporters in advocacy campaigns, build community around causes, convert supporters into donors, and leverage advocacy momentum to drive fundraising initiatives forward.

What role does volunteer management software play in supporting nonprofit fundraising campaigns?

Volunteer management software helps nonprofits recruit, schedule, and manage volunteers for fundraising events, acknowledge volunteer contributions, foster volunteer engagement, and extend campaign reach through volunteer networks.

How can nonprofits use gamification techniques to enhance donor engagement and fundraising success?

Nonprofits can use gamification to create interactive fundraising challenges, reward donor participation and achievements, foster healthy competition among supporters, and motivate donors to increase their contributions for campaign goals.

What are the considerations for selecting a payment processing platform for nonprofit fundraising?

Considerations include transaction fees, compatibility with fundraising software, PCI compliance for secure transactions, support for multiple payment methods (credit cards, PayPal, etc.), and seamless integration with donation pages and CRM systems.

How can nonprofits leverage influencer marketing platforms to expand their reach and impact fundraising outcomes?

Nonprofits can collaborate with influencers to amplify fundraising campaigns, reach new audiences, build trust with followers, drive traffic to donation pages, and inspire influencer-led giving through authentic endorsements and storytelling.

How does automated donor acknowledgment and receipting enhance donor satisfaction in nonprofit fundraising?

Automated donor acknowledgment and receipting systems ensure timely gratitude for donations, provide tax-deductible receipts promptly, streamline administrative tasks, and enhance donor satisfaction by demonstrating appreciation for their support.

What strategies can nonprofits use to evaluate the success of their fundraising campaigns and optimize future efforts?

Nonprofits can evaluate fundraising success by analyzing donation metrics, tracking campaign ROI, conducting donor surveys for feedback, benchmarking against industry standards, and using data insights to refine strategies for future campaigns.

About the autor

Raviraj Raviraj is the director of growth at Donorbox. He is a digital strategist with over 5 years of experience. He is passionate about helping nonprofits with online fundraising. He enjoys playing badminton and travels the world when he’s not at work.

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