Fundraising is at the heart of many nonprofits. Successful nonprofit organizations know how to raise money to fund their missions. However nonprofit fundraising can be tricky, but having the right money mindset will make a world difference in your fundraiser. In today’s podcast, Rhea Wong from Wong Consulting and Stephen Halasnik from Financing Solutions discuss ‘money mindset and fundraising for nonprofit to thrive.’
Summary
Money Mindset and Fundraising For Nonprofits to Thrive
Fundraising is indispensable to every successful nonprofit. Thriving nonprofits know how to raise money to fund their various causes. However, nonprofit fundraising can be daunting, especially if you don’t have the right money mindset. Not having the right money mindset will make you scared or feel icky asking for funding for your nonprofit program.
To have an effective fundraiser, you must get rid of the emotional and mental blocks that hold you back. You should not approach fundraising from a desperate mindset because nobody is attracted to desperation. Besides, your nonprofit organization’s values, such as cleaning the ocean, sending kids to colleges, and providing shelters, are enough to attract the right people to support your organization.
Therefore, as a nonprofit, your role is to create opportunities that resonate with donors by building a robust relationship and making them see reasons to support your mission.
What Is Nonprofit Fundraising?
Nonprofit fundraising refers to the process of soliciting funding to support a nonprofit organization’s numerous projects and programs. Fundraising is the cornerstone of every successful nonprofit. No matter how noble and great a nonprofit’s mission is, it will hardly reach its goals if it lacks the requisite financial flexibility.
Hence, successful nonprofits are always on the lookout to find innovative ways of raising money to finance their programs. Nonprofits can raise funds through various digital and traditional means. Leveraging the most effective means of raising money for your organization is an excellent way to run a great nonprofit.
What Are Nonprofits Fundraising Ideas?
When it comes to raising money for your nonprofit organization, there are numerous options out there. However, it’s proper for you to use multiple approaches to diversify your fundraising effort.
Below are pro tips that you might consider to raise money for your organization.
Individual Fundraising
Individuals are major supporters of nonprofits, and they account for two-thirds of all donations made to nonprofits. Individual or personal fundraising entails asking people within your network, including family, friends, or colleagues, to donate to your cause.
This method allows you to share your nonprofit stories with people and ask for support. Individual fundraising helps you raise money more quickly and help create awareness so that people can deeply connect with your cause.
Direct Mail Fundraising
Direct is a fundraising strategy that generates an effective result. It’s cheap, fast, and can be repeated time and again, making it a great way for small nonprofits to raise money for their mission pretty fast.
The key to this approach is writing a resonating fundraising letter to your prospects and asking for their support. Direct mailing has become easier than ever as a result of the advent of digital technology. You can send emails alongside the donation link, which the recipient can click on and donate online. 
Online Fundraising
Many donors now prefer donating to organizations they are sympathetic to through digital platforms such as websites, social media, or crowdfunding sites.
An online fundraising campaign makes reaching a wide audience that might want to donate to your nonprofit cause easier. It’s common knowledge that the younger generation spends most of their time online, and there’s a good chance that many will visit your site to learn more and make donations.
With this in mind, you should create a secure, up-to-date, and on-brand donation page that’s straightforward to navigate so that your donors can make their donations online effortlessly.
Fundraising Grant
A nonprofit grant is a financial donation foundations, corporations, or government agencies give to an organization to support a specific program or initiative. Grants are often much more sizable gifts than those from individual donors. And a one-time grant can give your organization the needed financial help to fund its programs or buy essential furniture and equipment that will facilitate its daily activities.
One good thing about a successful grant proposal is that it builds out your nonprofit’s visibility and credibility. There is a good chance you will get a grant from others once you receive one grant.
Conduct Fundraising Event
Fundraising events are veritable platforms for donors and prospects to engage with your cause. You can decide to organize a virtual fundraising, in-person fundraising event, or hybrid event to meet your organization’s financial goals.
Fundraising events allow you to raise awareness and donations for the nonprofit’s mission. You might want to feature a concert, silent auction, half marathon, gala, and more to make the event memorable.
In-Kind Fundraising
There are times companies and businesses give non-monetary items to nonprofits. These could be basic goods like food, drink, or clothing. It might also be facilities, including equipment or vehicles, that will help the organization pilot its operations. Free professional services like accounting or legal services are also forms of in-kind donations.
Learn More About Our Guest
Rhea lives in Brooklyn with her husband. When she is not raising money for causes she loves, she can be found hosting her podcast Nonprofit Lowdown, promoting her newest book Get that Money, Honey! or onstage as a newbie stand-up comedian in downtown Brooklyn.
Learn About Stephen Halasnik
Stephen Halasnik is the host of the popular Nonprofit MBA Podcast. The Nonprofit MBA podcast’s purpose is to help nonprofit leaders and their teams. Stephen is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Financing Solutions, a leading provider of loans for nonprofits in the form of a Line of Credit. Stephen is a best-selling Amazon author and is considered a leading authority on building great, purpose-driven businesses.
Stephen lives in New Jersey, and his top life mission is to raise his two sons, Michael and Maxwell, to be good men.
