4 Simple Strategies to Ask Donations for Charity

Simple strategies to ask donations for charity include the following: providing choices for your potential donors, organizing charity auctions, providing benefits to your donors, and asking potential donors to join other donors.

With the financial crisis still looming around, looking for financial donors would be a challenge. However, there are still donors around just waiting to be tapped at. With the right strategy, raising funds for your noble organization won’t be so hard after all.

Provide choices for your potential donors

Once you start to solicit for donations from your potential donors, you should not stick to only one solid rule. You would be able to acquire more donations if you are flexible with each of your potential donor’s situation and manner of donating. For example, a new dad might say that his budget is tight with the new baby in the family; but if you provide him an option, say spreading the amount he can donate for the entire year, you will more likely walk away with funds. Another way would be to give simple items in exchange of a particular amount that is donated, such as an umbrella for a $25 donation or a t-shirt for every donation of fifty dollars. Allow your potential donor to choose a donation method based on what is most appealing or convenient to him.

Organize a Charity Auction

Charity auctions are also another way to raise funds for your organization. You can ask your own family, friends, and other people who would like to be part of the fundraising activity for items that are still in good condition, but are no longer needed. Then, have a bidding activity for these items. Start by determining a good starting price for each of the items, and disseminate information about the bidding activity that will happen to as many people as you can in your location. When all the participants have gathered, you may start the bidding process.

Provide benefits to your donors

Most people would prefer to donate if there is something for them in return. Thus, never give your potential donors a call unless you already know what to give them in return for their donations. For example, if you are planning to create a playground for children in your neighborhood, inform your potential donors that their kids can go to the playground and have fun anytime. Or if it is to provide shelter for the homeless, then perhaps you can offer your donors tax deductions. Depending on the purpose of your organization, don’t miss letting the potential donor know what his donations can do for him, as well.

Ask potential donors to join other donors

You may also simply ask donors, particularly big companies, to join other donors for a fundraising activity you plan to have. For example, if you plan to raise funds for an orphanage, you can ask one big company to provide a particular item, such as foot wears, for every specific amount that other donors would give. Say for instance, a pair of rubber shoes for every twenty dollars you get from other donors. Another company can also take charge of food or snacks for the orphaned kids during the event, or they can just provide money and you can prepare the food for them. Companies and ordinary people are more likely to donate if there are others who would take part in the activity.

It is important that you’re transparent to all your donors regarding the financial activities of your organization, as well as provide clear information on where the donations are going and have gone to. This way, your donors would participate again in future fundraising activities. Donors’ trust must be preserved.