How to Start an NGO Crowdfunding Campaign? Crowdfunding means raising small amounts of money from a large number of contributors using the Internet to finance a given project or cause. Over the last twenty years, the practice of crowdfunding has been rapidly increasing; through crowdfunding financing has emerged in sectors such as start-ups, visual and musical creative works, technologies, research and development, and various community initiatives.
Generally, launching an NGO crowdfunding campaign is not just a way of sourcing funds but communicating your desire for change to people with identical desires. In today’s world, Digital platforms can engage people online easily and can amplify causes like never before, following an effective crowdfunding strategy can create an impact. Suppose you are striving for changes at the societal level and are passionate about change in social justice, conservation, and community development. In that case, this article will secure you all you need to know to transform passion into action and impact. Please continue reading to learn steps and ideas that will move your supporters and keep your mission going.
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Why crowdfunding is important for NGO’s?
Crowdfunding is important for NGOs because it serves as a powerful and accessible fundraising method that offers several key advantages:
Wider Reach and Visibility
Thanks to crowdfunding sites, nongovernmental organizations can overcome geographical barriers and reach people from all four corners of the earth or have them contribute to their cause.
Cost-Effective Fundraising
It has been observed that traditional ways adopted for fundraising are quite costly and stiff. Crowdfunding gives a more affordable approach as most of them do not require as much amounts to get started.
Creating Your Constituency
However, crowdfunding is not only about raising money but also about getting people connected with an NGO’s mission, and creating a fan base of supporters.
Raising Awareness
Thus, crowdfunding campaigns are usually associated with the narratives and promotion of the story by or on behalf of NGOs, raising awareness among the audience of their cause and activity.
Also Read: How to Build a Digital Fundraising Strategy for NGOs That Works?
Tangible Impact Demonstration
By focusing on particular projects or aims, crowdfunding makes it possible for the NGOs to demonstrate the target audience to which particular donations will be directed, which also increases the trust level.
Democratizing Fundraising
It allows the larger and smaller non-governmental organizations to apply for funds since there are many organizations that do not have many funds from the donors.
Encouraging Donor Engagement
There is frequent communication throughout the campaign to make the supporters feel like they are participating in something, and donors become advocates for the course.
Crowdfunding isn’t only about the funds: it is about creating a base that will help you spread the word about your goal and bring change.
How to strategize your NGO crowdfunding campaign?
An Effective technique of NGO fundraising is crowdfunding since this is an efficient way of raising funds and creating a loyal audience. Here is a full strategy on how to plan your crowdfunding campaign for your NGO-
1. Mission, Vision and Operational Goals
Define Your Mission: Specify the purpose of collecting the funds and it could be for a project, administrative use, or an emergency.
Set Realistic Targets: set the fixed funding amount that you need and be realistic and also set the duration of the crowdfunding campaign.
Subtotal: The choice should explain the division of costs for the sake of being honest.
2. Selecting the Right Crowdfunding Website
Research Options: You may use general crowdfunding portals that provide access to the donor: GoFundMe, Kickstarter, or international portals designed to work with nonprofit organizations: GlobalGiving or Ketto.
Also Read: How LinkedIn Ads Work for NGOs
Consider Features: Consider a few things like the fees the platform charges, how easy it is to use the platform, how much you engage your donors, and bonus features such as analytics or compatibility with your website.
Know Your Audience: Select an online platform that is preferred by the next donors and they are within regions or countries.
3. How Building a Compelling Campaign Story
Highlight the Problem and Solution: Discuss the publically recognized social problem your NGO seeks to address and how individual donors can help prevent or solve it.
Use Visuals: The best way to appeal to the human compassion of potential donors is by providing high-quality, well-designed, and thought-provoking pictures and videos.
Add Testimonials: Include use stories from beneficiaries or stakeholders to read personal aspects of the campaign.
4. Advertise Your Campaign As Usual
Leverage Social Media: Generate content and content to share; use hashtags and ensure the regular posting of content often to keep the campaign active.
Send Email Campaigns: Click through the contacts that are connected with the organizations and send them individual messages that include the details of the campaign.
Also Read: Top 10 Fundraising Ideas for NGO in India
Collaborate with Influencers: Develop collaborations with other people like social media influencers or celebrities, who would support your cause.
Engage Local Media: Contact newspapers, radio, or television to come and write on the campaign story.
5. Engage and Thank Supporters
Provide Updates: Communicating with donors about the campaign’s, progress or achievements and impact stories during the campaign.
Show Gratitude: Thank people through emails or personal letters and also facilitate the giving of tokens or symbols of appreciation for efforts that can create a good impact.
Foster Long-Term Relationships: Encourage the donors to be part of the organization and or become key volunteers after the campaign is over.
Using the above tips you can not only raise funds for your Non-profit but also you can build long-lasting connections and trust with the donors.
Also Read: LinkedIn Ad Grants for Nonprofits
Which is the best platform for crowdfunding?
India’s three most popular crowdfunding sites (Ketto, Milaap, and ImpactGuru) pulled in Rs 271.65 crore or 2.7 billion in the 2018 financial year. The amount was roughly 11% of the Rs 2,400 crore (24 billion) inaugural budget for Medicare— the ruling regime’s public health insurance program that the government launched in the same year.
Altogether, 5 to 10 percent of Milaap and Ketto’s health-related campaigns have collected over Rs 1000 crore (10 billion) in the last five years, with a growth rate of nearly doubling annually. Currently, there are 1,200 + medical campaigns initiated on Milaap per month and 3x growth per year. While Medcords has approximately 700 medical fundraisers per month, Ketto hosts about 2000 per month medical fundraisers and there has been an increase in the growth rate in the last five years, which is about 50% CAGR.
Organizations we work with are across sectors like cleantech, health, work and learning, food, and social inclusion of people and enterprises that are involved in early cancer detection and community power co-operatives producing renewable energy. We strive to assist them in sourcing funds to enable them to concentrate on their business.
It contains information for all types of investors, including institutional and family offices, as well as everyman investors to cater for their needs when identifying investment opportunities and to aid in the Decision Making Process to align their capital with impact.
Also, the Best platform for crowdfunding for your non-profit depends on your NGO’s aim and purpose. You must know what is the main goal of your NGO while choosing the right platform. Here are a few top crowdfunding platforms you can donate to get yourself started:
- SocialForAction
- FuelADream
- Ketto
- ImpactGuru
Also Read: How to Choose the Best Crowdfunding Platform for Nonprofit
Success stories
The area of nonprofit crowdfunding has experienced a tremendous amount of success in India where the organizations use the technology solutions to create alive for various initiatives. Here are some inspiring examples:
From there, a new electronic media for the crowdfunding of “Social for Action” for NGOs and donors has emerged. Till now Maher (Pune), Mata Adishakti Social Foundation (Dhule), Eklavya Child Education and Health Trust (Ratnagiri kudal project), Bharat Jodo Yuva Akademi ( Nanded), Prarthana foundation ( Solapur),Yashodhan Trust ( Satara) have been supported under “Social for action”.
Yashodhan Trust
The information was published in the Samajbhan Sadar about the NGO- ‘Yashodhan Trust’ working for orphans, the homeless the mentally challenged at Wai on Satara Road. The “Social for Action” campaign appealed for funds to meet the annual expenses of ; The Annual psychiatric check-up; Medicines; Construction of a new ashram building. The following is a tribute to the spontaneous response of the donors to this call. Currently, sixty mentally ill patients reside in the facility, and new construction for the ashram has also been accomplished.
Prarthna Foundation
Anantamma Krishnayan and Prasad Mohite, a young couple are helping poor, low-income, destitute, homeless, and unfortunate children and aspiring to take them into mainstream society through ‘Prarthana Foundation’, Morvanchi, Solapur District. The ‘School for the Disadvantaged – One Step Towards Progress’ project; for the construction of a residential project ‘Prarthana Balgram’ for 300 homeless children and destitute/elderly on streets ‘Social for Action’ campaign was launched for financial assistance. This call was met with the most appropriate response from the donors. Laying the foundation for the ‘Prarthana Balgram’ project building under the “Social for Action” campaign has reached a final stage.
Also Read: Crowdfunding For Nonprofit
Eklavya Child Education Health Trust
As far as the type of problems of financially backward, destitute, and out-of-school children are concerned and realizing the importance of extending help to such children the organization proposed to open new separate hostels for boys as well as girls at Sindhudurg. Under the “Social for Action” campaign financial help was being provided for the construction of the hostel building and physical infrastructures for the ‘organization ‘Eklavya Balshikshan Arogya Nyas’. To this call, donors came running brazenly.
By use of the “Social for Action” campaign and several donors, the work of the hostel of Eklavya Child Education and Health Trust has been done. Every apartment in the dormitory building is designed to hold all sorts of functions. The dormitory building comprises boys’ and girls dormitories, school classrooms, a library, a kitchen; and other essential facilities such as a borehole for water, a cement tank, and a toilet among others.
