Hosting a food bank fundraiser can have an incredible impact on your community. Think about all of the lives you can change with just one fundraiser!
Putting together a successful fundraiser can take time and planning, so here are some essential marketing and hosting tips to get you started.
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You’re raising money for a great cause, so you want to do the best job possible. It’ll be so rewarding when you see the impact your fundraiser can make. A fellow student can be nourished enough to focus in school, a parent can cook and have dinner at the family table, or a grandparent can save their money for necessary medications.
Below are the 8 best tips to make your fundraiser emotionally moving and as successful as you could ever hope for.
Use one of the email templates in our toolkit to help with your outreach. You can personalize these by including a short, personal note. It’s helpful to share a personal story about why you want to help fight hunger and why you’re choosing to fundraise for Feeding Westchester.
Numbers may show the whole picture, but it’s helpful to hone in on exactly who you are doing this fundraiser for — our neighbors in need, who look just like us, and live in our neighborhood, attend school with our kids or siblings. Tell your family, friends, and colleagues WHY you support hunger relief here in Westchester.
Who are you reaching out to and how? Try social media, email, word of mouth, calls, or whatever you think would inspire those you know to give.
Most people are happy to donate to a good cause and support your fundraising campaign. Don’t shy away from asking your friends and family to support you. It’s for a great cause!
People forget. Reminder emails can be more successful than the initial email. We recommend sending periodic updates on your fundraiser’s progress.
Those who donate will receive a thank you email on behalf of Feeding Westchester. It’s also nice to receive a personal note about the importance of a donation. Let those who have donated know what their support and encouragement mean to you.
Some companies offer to “match” their employees’ donations. Remind your donors and potential donors to check with their companies, as a matched gift doubles their donation. Someone can also check if their company matches right in the online donation checkout!
Emphasizing the end date encourages people to act now. The sweet spot for a fundraiser is usually four to six weeks, however, you can also pick a date based on a special event, holiday, or another memorable date. Don’t forget to put this date in your emails, posts, and other promotion.
With social media and email being widely available, anyone can be a professional marketer. Here’s some super helpful marketing tips for all the nonprofit fundraisers out there.
Social media is one of the best ways to stay in touch with your network of family, friends, and colleagues. Share, hashtag #FeedingWestchester, go live, make a Facebook event linking back to your online fundraiser page to make sure your fundraiser can’t be missed. Use all the features social media offers to make sure your fundraiser can’t be missed.
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Make flyers and hang them up around town, with a QR code or URL leading back to your donation page with the details. With permission, post them on bulletin boards around town, in your place of worship, at work or school, at community centers, etc.
Show your excitement and talk about your fundraiser the old-fashioned way. You never know when you’ll encounter someone who shares your passion for alleviating hunger.
Looking to host a fundraiser on your birthday? Or do you want to curate a special event to raise awareness? Here’s a few pointers on how to elevate your fundraising strategy!
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Do you want to make a change in your community and help your neighbors eat? Start a fundraiser for Feeding Westchester today!
