The Case for Letting Go: Empowering your DIY Fundraisers
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As a professional fundraiser, it is normal to want to have control over your marketing/fundraising. After all, it is you who is responsible for raising the dollars needed to fund your mission. You are accountable to the CEO, board, volunteers, community to bring in the funding needed to keep the doors open.
In the same vein, many organizations tell me that DIY fundraising is scary. “We would never let someone have access to our logo and let them livestream while raising money. Who knows what they might say?” Your organization has worked hard to build up your reputation, you’ve spent countless hours ensuring consistency across all communication channels.
But, let me remind you of a few words: right click>save image, copy, paste, hyperlink, screenshot, email, long hold on a mobile device>share, Facebook, Blackbaud Peer to Peer powered by JustGiving. There are hundreds of ways individuals, of their own accord, without your knowledge, can use your organization’s information and start fundraising. The power dynamic is shifting, individuals no longer need marketing plans, logo management, color schemes to have an impact and raise money for causes.
So, what do we do? The way I see it you have two choices:
Here are a few resources to help you begin letting go and empower your supporters to fundraise on your behalf.
In the same vein, many organizations tell me that DIY fundraising is scary. “We would never let someone have access to our logo and let them livestream while raising money. Who knows what they might say?” Your organization has worked hard to build up your reputation, you’ve spent countless hours ensuring consistency across all communication channels.
But, let me remind you of a few words: right click>save image, copy, paste, hyperlink, screenshot, email, long hold on a mobile device>share, Facebook, Blackbaud Peer to Peer powered by JustGiving. There are hundreds of ways individuals, of their own accord, without your knowledge, can use your organization’s information and start fundraising. The power dynamic is shifting, individuals no longer need marketing plans, logo management, color schemes to have an impact and raise money for causes.
So, what do we do? The way I see it you have two choices:
- Batten down the hatches and chase after anyone who puts your organization’s information/logo/mission in the “wrong” place. [Sounds exhausting.]
- Empower the volunteer fundraiser, livestreamer, the texter, the emailer, the Instagramer, the page maker. Give them a path, supply the tools and make it easy.
Here are a few resources to help you begin letting go and empower your supporters to fundraise on your behalf.
- Review the Getting Started Page to set up your Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer campaign and allow your fundraisers to create pages. Encourage their creativity, cheer them on and thank them.
- Utilize these Toolkits Toolkits for Nonprofits – General and DIY Campaigns as a checklist for the collateral you will need to create.
- Check out this Peer-to-Peer DIY Look Book for other DIY fundraising examples.
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JustGiving® from Blackbaud® Blog
02/07/2020 5:34pm EST
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