Image credit: twooceansmarathon.org.za
Crowdfunding is growing rapidly in South Africa, giving non-profit organizations an opportunity to raise more money by tapping into the power of the crowd.
Although over R460 million has been raised on BackaBuddy for various causes, our most successful charities, will tell you that crowdfunding is not easy.
To make things a little easier for our charities, our expert team has put together this article on how to diversify your income stream and explore different ways to raise additional funds by using some of the most famous local events.
Once you have registered your charity to raise funds on BackaBuddy, the next step is to find champions and put together a fundraising team.
Where can you find champions?
TIP 1: The best place to find champions to raise funds for your organisation is to reach out to past fundraisers who have supported your organisation.
TIP 2: If you have volunteers at your organisation, ask them if they would be interested in putting together a campaign to highlight a need you might have or help to promote your new champions that sign-up.
TIP 3: Reach out to friends, family, colleagues and social groups to see if the keen chamipons among you would like to raise funds for your organisation.
TIP 4: Create a post on Social Media to see if any of your followers are taking part in the event. If anyone on your social network is entering the challenge message them privately to see if they will champion your cause! You can also share this post on various groups and forums to reach potential donors.
TIP 5: Following the official social media hashtags for the event could also introduce you to potential champions. Simply click on the following resource to explore hashtags you can use: Ugenie
TIP 6: Send out a call to action to your email list or database to see if any of your donors will be participating in the event and would like to raise funds for you.
Here is a template you could use:
Dear (name)
I hope you are well and staying safe.
We are reaching out to you, as you have been a valued supporter of our organization and the work we do.
This Month, we are putting together a fundraising team of champions for the _______________, which will take place from _______________. We are hoping to raise funds at the event to create awareness for our organisation and raise much-needed funds for _______________.
If you are passionate about our organisation and the work we do to _________, please consider entering the _______________ to raise funds on our behalf.
How to enter:
Register for the _______________ here (website).
Create your fundraising campaign on BackaBuddy by letting the team know who you are, how much you would like to raise, and why you are passionate about your organisation here.
If you have any questions please contact Lakiwe your dedicated BackaBuddy Head of Charities via email:[email protected] to arrange a meeting.
The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
How can you support your champions?
You need to support your champions as much as possible to empower them to raise funds for you.
Show your champions who you are
If you have an organisational video and some emotive and inspiring images that show the valuable work you do, share them with your champions. This will motivate and inspire your champions on their crowdfunding journey and give them beautiful content to share across social media
Give your champions the latest statistics relating to your organisation and tell them about your success stories, so they can tell their networks about you and encourage donations.
Tell your champions what you need.
Crowdfunding with a tangible need, always speaks better to the public. Give your champions an idea of how funds raised will be used to benefit your organisation. This will help them determine their fundraising target and encourage potential donors to donate funds in those increments.
(For example)
“R100 will allow us to purchase 1 pair of shoes that will benefit disadvantaged children living in Edenvale, Johannesburg”
“Raising R10 000 will cover allow us to cover the data costs for 100 students struggling with online learning in their matric year”
“If we raise R100 000 with our crowdfunding campaign, we will be able to refurbish two classrooms”
If your runner has a personal connection with your charity and would like to fundraising for a particular need that resonates with them, this will make an emotive crowdfunding appeal!
Highlight your donors and help them spread the word
During your champion’s crowdfunding journey they will also need your encouragement and support to achieve their fundraising goal.
Create a post on social media to introduce your champion to your social media following, post updates about their campaign and congratulate them when they reach certain milestones. Encourage your champions to also share their connection with your organisation on their social media platforms when sharing their crowdfunding campaign link.
Examples of social media posts you could create:
Stefani from Cape Town is halfway towards reaching her fundraising target of R100 000 on BackaBuddy! With the support she has received thus far, we can cover the registration cost of 10 learners at UCT!
Communicate with your champions
Create a WhatsApp group to keep in touch with your champions, and see how their campaigns are doing and where their successes or struggles lie. Host regular Zoom meetings with your champions to motivate them, say thank you and offer them some encouragement. If you would like a BackaBuddy team member present in your workshops, let us know and we will be happy to share our expertise!
Encourage more donations
- If your organisation is Section 18A certified, let your champions know to share this information with their potential donors as this is a great incentive to encourage donations in larger amounts. If you are Section 18A certified, let us know and we can add it to your campaign page for all potential donors to see!
We hope you found value in our advice, if your organisations have any questions, please reach out to us. The BackaBuddy team is here to help.
We wish your organisation and all your champions at the event all the best on their journey!