Fundraising on Localgiving.com Dawn Carr, FST Development Worker, Birmingham and Black Country Community Foundation

Overview Introduction to online fundraising Online Fundraising with Localgiving.com Promoting your webpage and Donor Development Driving offline traffic to your webpage

Introduction to online fundraising

How do you currently fundraise? How do you get money at the moment? Do you have any individual donors and how do you reach them? How do you communicate with your donors? Do you get Gift Aid? Do you use online fundraising?

Internet as a fundraising tool It’s important to understand that online fundraising is not much different to fundraising ‘offline’ and so the same principles still apply. It’s about cultivating relationships, connections, participators and engagement – the internet is just a tool which allows you to do this more quickly, widely and cheaply than ever before! Online giving has increased by 85% in the past three years! (according to research by nfpSynergy together with MissionFish UK, eBay for Charity and the Institute of Fundraising – 15 Sept 2011)

Online Fundraising: What it is and isn’t  Online Fundraising is NOT: Online Fundraising is: Just having a donate button on your website A set of tools to build a community of support around your organisation An easy way of getting money from people you don’t know A way of helping your current and future supporters engage with and support your work Posting a project on a site like Localgiving.com and expecting people to find it A mechanism through which your supporters can easily and efficiently support your organisation – both with money and other kinds of non- financial support and engagement A substitute to your other fundraisingA key component of a diverse funding strategy incorporating different methods of income generation

Social Media – do I need to use it? By having as much presence on the internet as possible, you have a ready made network of potential supporters and donors; people you may not have had access to before. Social media also allows your charity to: Appear higher in the list of results on search engine websites such as Google Communicate with a large audience Engage and interact with your supporters & other stakeholders, particularly the younger generation Support your existing fundraising efforts through another channel

Facebook & Twitter Facebook – a social network website with 800 million users. You can create a page for your organisation to share pictures, videos and information to show how you are making a difference and gather more supporters. Twitter – a micro-blogging website where you can share information about your organisation in 140 character announcements. By ‘Following’ and interacting with other members you can expand your online network. How are they different? Twitter is a platform for sharing short statements and website links whereas Facebook is unrestricted and allows you to post images, videos and long messages.

How can I fundraise on social media? Direct existing supporters to donate online - Use it to announce fundraising events and campaigns - Update your Facebook Status or Tweet your Localgiving.com link (as well as including your web address on the Information page to help drive more traffic) Maintain an interactive relationship with supporters - Keep supporters informed with regular updates and pictures - If you do not interact with followers they will lost interest! Build a network of new supporters who could potentially donate - By asking your friends to ‘donate’ their status or Retweet your message, you will reach new audiences

Online Fundraising with Localgiving.com

What is Localgiving.com? Mission: To provide local charities and community groups with the technology to raise money, awareness and support online. Webpages and web tools necessary to; Reduce dependency on grants Provide new sources of funding and support Engage with their local community

What your page will look like

14 Benefits of Localgiving.com Facilities to easily accept donations Automated Gift Aid on donations without being a registered charity Webpages that are easy to complete and update at any time and for supporters to find New sources of funding, access to a community of supporters Space to advertise your needs, including volunteer vacancies Donations are unrestricted, use the money where it is needed Training materials and support to help you with your fundraising Local, regional and national Match Fund Challenges

Localgiving.com support with social media. Buttons at the top of your webpage promoting your direct link on social media User guides – Introduction & Next Steps Help Desk support Engagement & promotion with Localgiving.com via social media

Beginning your journey on Localgiving.com Register your interest with BBCCF to become invited Register on Localgiving Fundraising workshops Local supporter campaigns and Match Fund Campaigns

Invitation to join Localgiving.com Your charity 17

Register with Localgiving.com Your username is your address. Enter a password of your choice and click ‘Register’. 18

19 How is a donation distributed? Fees: Up to 2% for the average credit or debit card fee 3% to the local Community Foundation 3% to Localgiving.com £30 DONATION EXAMPLE WITH GIFT AID: Donation£ % average card fees £ % Gift aid£ % CF/LG fees£ 2.25 (this is split between CF and LG) = £34.65 to the Charity or Community Group

Attracting donors to your Localgiving.com webpage

Creating an attractive page for donors Good quality images showing volunteers, staff, and/or beneficiaries Donation suggestions for supporters with examples of how they could help The causes you work with, where donors search and find you Keep your page up to date with your latest projects, events and activities Summary of your organisation with specific examples

Driving online traffic to your webpage The first step is to make it as easy as possible for your potential supporters to donate. The following steps require minimal effort and are free! Include your direct web address in your signature Use the Localgiving.com buttons - These can be inserted into your website, newsletters or signature so the viewer sees the image and can click on to be directed to our webpage to donate. You can find these in your account under “My Promotions”.

Add an signature Promote your direct web address by putting it on your marketing materials and by adding it to your signature. The link to your webpage Your direct web address Your direct web address will always start with followed by the name (or acronym) of your charity. For example: Supporters will be able to find your Localgiving.com webpage quickly and easily by typing your direct web address into their internet browser, or by clicking on your link.

Tell your immediate network The majority of potential supporters are not going to find your page unless you show them where your Localgiving.com webpage is.. Have your friends reach out – Word of mouth is the most powerful motivator, so encourage your loyal supporters to reach out and help you get new supporters.

Promoting your webpage

Continuously build your supporter database Treat your database as a valuable asset! People inside your organisation People outside the organisation StaffDonors and Supporters VolunteersMembers of partner organisations and professional contacts Board MembersBeneficiaries TrusteesAnyone who has expressed an interest in the organisation Consider Data Protection Do ask for your members' permission to contact them. This should be clearly recorded on the database.

Building a relationship with your supporters Communicate via your online toolkit

marketing Put your charity’s logo at the top of the page Personalise by addressing the newsletter to the supporter by name Add a link to your charity’s Facebook, Twitter and Localgiving.com pages to the newsletter Include photos of your charity with the newsletter Send your supporters newsletters via to keep them updated on your charity’s work (or ask a volunteer to help)!

Driving offline traffic to your webpage

Incorporate your direct web address into your traditional fundraising activities Display your Localgiving.com direct web address at your organisation, and ensure that your staff, volunteers and trustees all know about and are spreading the word about your Localgiving.com webpage Incorporate your Localgiving.com web address into your regular newsletters and all other printed materials e.g. annual reports and leaflets Create leaflets promoting your direct web address and prompting people to donate Promote your web address at events and fundraising activities

Getting in the news Good stories include: Fundraising events Charity achievements Projects undertaken by your local charity or community group New community activities Letter to the editor Eye-catching picture A Checklist for your story:  Is it current and relevant?  How is it different from other stories you’ve read?  Does it have a human element?  Is it your story moving, amusing or inspiring? To be newsworthy, you need a story that will inform, educate or entertain readers, viewers or listeners – Localgiving.com can provide a press release template!

Feedback: The most important step! Turn the success of your fundraiser/campaign into your next marketing message: -Create case studies to share! -Update your Localgiving.com webpage so your donors can see your success -Announce the success of your fundraiser/event on social media -Thank supporters through your Localgiving.com account

Questions