Viral fundraising or micro philanthropy is just one of the 10 great ways nonprofits can benefit from blogs (their own and others) outlined by blogger supreme Britt Bravo. I've shared many of these same ideas, but not this one, which is brilliant.
Britt points to some of the bloggers (Beth Kanter stands out in my mind) who have raised lots for causes, and the availability of plug-ins that bloggers in your audience can easily add to their own blogs. This is a low cost, high potential means of enhancing your fundraising. Make it happen.
Here are a few examples to get you going:
- Darren Rowse celebrated ProBlogger's two- year anniversary by using his blog to raise $830 US ($100 AU) for Oxfam Australia with his Blogging for Chickens campaign.
- Beth Kanter raised $50,000 for the Sharing Foundation using a Network for Good Badge and similar tools to the ChipIn campaign, in three weeks.
- Chez Pim raised almost $62,000 with her Menu for Hope Campaign in 2.5 weeks using her food blog and an online auction.
That's the kind of virus every organization would like to have!
Here's how to start:
- Reach out to donors, inviting them to join your fundraising team -- featuring the invite in an e-newsletter is a great approach.
- Ask those who have a Web site and/or blog to fundraise there.
- Point them to a how to page on your Web site, with links to fundraising tools (such as the Network for Good charity badge, ChipIn and FirstGiving).
- Ask them to register online (just so you know what the response, and success rate is).
Source: http://www.gettingattention.org/my_weblog/2007/03/invite_your_sup.html
About the Author
Nancy E. Schwartz helps nonprofits succeed through effective marketing and communications. As President of Nancy Schwartz & Company (http://www.nancyschwartz.com/), Nancy and her team provide marketing planning and implementation services to organizations as varied as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, and Wake County (NC) Health Services.
Subscribe to her free e-newsletter "Getting Attention", (http://www.nancyschwartz.com/getting_attention.html) and read her blog at http://www.gettingattention.org/ for more insights, ideas and great tips on attracting the attention your organization deserves.
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