Nonprofit organizations are getting hit hard by the coronavirus crisis. Not only are they experiencing skyrocketing demand from people in need, but social distancing has closed nonprofits and led to layoffs. For charities, the need to support employees and expand services in the face of the COVID-19 crisis is critical.
In this webinar, you will learn a step-by-step framework to planning and launching an emergency crowdfunding campaign.
Learning objectives:
How to identify a goal;
How to figure out what to fund;
How to raise funds for employee relief;
How to choose a platform for your campaign;
How to promote the campaign;
Case studies of successful emergency crowdfunding campaigns running right now.
2. ABOUT ME
Mom of 2
Former U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer
Author, Storytelling in the Digital Age: A
Guide for Nonprofits and How to Build and
Mobilize a Social Media Community for
Your Nonprofit in 90 Days
Former Development and Marketing
Director at small shops
www.JCsocialmarketing.com
Tweet: @JuliaCSocial
TWEET @JULIACSOCIAL
4. WHAT WE WILL
COVER TODAY
How to plan and launch a
successful crowdfunding
campaign;
Preparation and goal-setting;
Launching with a bang;
Prompting the campaign and
engaging your network;
Strategic follow-up after the
campaign ends.
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5. HOW ARE WE FEELING
TODAY?
TWITTER: @JULIACSOCIAL @COMMFOUND518
13. HOW TO CHOOSE
THE BEST DIGITAL
PLATFORMS FOR
YOUR SMALL
NONPROFIT
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14. BEFORE JUMPING
ON A NEW DIGITAL
CHANNEL:
Is your audience there?
Can you add value to this
channel or just more
noise?
What can you post that will
be interesting and unique?
Why are you using this
channel specifically?
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15. CONSIDER:
Can you design and create
content specific to that
channel?
Do you have the capacity
to manage another
channel?
Research
Knowledge
Content creation
Measurement/analysis
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17. 4 PHASES OF SUCCESSFUL
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS
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Strategy Strategic follow-up with new donors after the campaign ends.
Momentum Keep up momentum by promoting the campaign.
Launch Launch with a bang!
Planning Planning and preparation are key.
19. GET THE
INFRASTRU
CTURE IN
PLACE
Conduct research.
Is there a similar campaign already in place?
What are partners and others in the industry
doing?
Form a Crowdfunding Committee. Don’t try
to do this alone!
Set a date for the launch and put it on the
calendar!
Create the Campaign Work Plan – who will
do what and when.
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20. CHOOSE A SMART
GOAL
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Specific
Measurable
Achievable (also
Aspirational)
Relevant
Time-based
21. HOW TO
CHOOSE
WHAT TO
FUNDEvaluate your current
situation.
What are your biggest needs?
Do you need to focus on
taking care of employees
during this crisis?
Will employees receive money
from the relief fund?
Make sure your accounting
team is aware of what you
decide and disbursements are
carefully monitored so every
employee is compensated
fairly. TWEET @JULIACSOCIAL
22. HOW TO
CHOOSE
WHAT TO
FUNDAnticipate some tough
questions your employees
may have.
Ask employees to
communicate with you,
and be prepared to
answer tough questions.
During this time,
transparency and
communication is
important in order to help
employees feel at ease.
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23. NONPROFIT EXAMPLE
The Pabst Theater Group asked their community to come together to
raise funds to help their team facing financial hardships caused by
the pandemic.
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/ptgemployeerelieffun
d
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24. NONPROFIT EXAMPLE
The Ross Preschool is raising money to help teachers facing loss of
income from other outside jobs.
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/the-ross-preschool-
teachers
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25. NONPROFIT EXAMPLE
Goodwill Detroit started a campaign to support the 450 jobs in
jeopardy because of shelter-at-home orders.
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/goodwilldetroit-
needs-you
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27. SOCIAL MEDIA
AMBASSADORS
Create a recruitment strategy for
Social Media Ambassadors (can
call them something fun)
Who are they?
Staff, volunteers, board
Community fundraisers
Partners
Social media fans and followers
How will we recruit them?
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32. IMMEDIATELY
BEFORE THE
LAUNCH
Tease the upcoming launch of
the campaign on social media
and email, a blog post or
teaser video.
Get people excited and
interested!
Be enthusiastic.
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34. LAUNCH
DAY!
Before the public launch,
secure some donations to
have $ in the coffer.
Remember the rule about tip
jars!
Make sure staff and Board
members make their
donations first.
Also, if they are going to ask
for money, they must show
that they have also given.
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35. LAUNCH
DAY!
Create a short, sweet, to the
point but enthusiastic launch
email.
The email is to get people
excited and pique their
interest!
Direct people to the donation
page.
Promote a matching gift if you
have secured one!
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36. LAUNCH DAY!
Call the first few
donors to thank
them for their
contribution, and see
if they're able to
share their campaign
with 5 friends.
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39. ALL HANDS
(AND
CHANNELS) ON
DECK
Announce the campaign
on social media channels
when the launch email
goes out.
Pay to boost that
particular post so more of
your fans see it.
Upload the campaign
video directly into the
channels rather than
share a link from
YouTube.
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44. CONTINUE PROMOTING THE
CAMPAIGN
Be enthusiastic – the energy will feed from you and from
the Committee members.
Keep everyone motivated and accountable – follow the
Work Plan.
Make sure to always be capturing contact information
from campaign participants, not just donors.
See what’s working and what can be improved, tweak as
you go.
Have fun!!
Send frequent updates on campaign progress (put in the
Work Plan).
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49. HOW TO
CULTIVATE YOUR
NEW ONLINE
DONORS
Communicate the results
frequently!
Show the progress week by
week.
Publicly thank and call out
those who have given using
social media platforms.
Message people who have
shared the campaign on
social media but haven’t
donated themselves.
Throw a virtual campaign
celebration party at the end.
Have a live countdown at the
event for any hold-outs.
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50. HOW TO
CULTIVATE YOUR
NEW ONLINE
DONORS
Call them, regardless of gift
size!
Create a special email
welcome campaign.
Share the impact of their
donation.
Share stories from real people
in real situations.
Get them more involved
immediately.
Ask for their feedback, ask
how the campaign went, ask
them to be Social Media
Ambassadors, etc.
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53. REMEMBER
WHAT
DONORS
WANT!To make an impact.
To give back.
To make a difference.
To be involved.
To create a meaningful
life.
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54. SO BE SURE
TO GIVE
THEM:
Evidence of the impact.
Stories of lives changed.
Opportunities to get more
involved.
Chances to spread the
word.
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