There are many types of non-profit fundraisers. Some of the most popular are annual campaigns to solicit donations and special events, such as walk-a-thons or charity dinners. Collaborating with for-profit businesses to obtain donations is common as well.
Annual campaigns are popular non-profit fundraisers that involve soliciting donations. Sometimes known as a fund drive, annual campaigns occur once each year and usually utilize solicitations through direct mail, telephone, or both. Organizations commonly focus on both acquiring new donors and obtaining funds from previous donors during an annual campaign. A campaign may be most successful during the last months of the year, targeting people and businesses that may wish to reduce their taxable income by donating to charity.
Many non-profit fundraisers fit in the category of special events. Some common special events include award dinners, charity banquets, raffles, walk-a-thons, auctions, and other fund-raisers that occur periodically or just once. Most organizations attempt to keep the event expenses to a minimum to maximize profits. One of the benefits of special event fundraisers is community involvement, and they often are open to the public and may utilize volunteers. In addition to gathering funds, they can serve as an excellent platform for raising awareness.
Non-profit fundraisers may include encouraging client donations as well. Some people may think that clients will not donate to a program they use if they can receive the service for free, but many prefer to donate. It is very important for some demographics to feel as though they are not welfare recipients, and if clients can contribute in some small way to the program, they can maintain their sense of pride while still receiving necessary assistance. Clients often can afford only the smallest of donations, but even tiny donations can add up to a considerable amount of funding.
Many non-profit fundraisers involve a business donating a particular amount of money for each sale of a certain item. Sometimes the business decides for itself to donate, but the organization often contacts a business about donating. Many products have labels stating that they donate a percentage of profits to a certain cause, but some donate to a single organization. Holiday sales promotions are common as well. For example, a grocery store may give 50 cents to a local food pantry for every turkey sold during Thanksgiving week.
Taking part in credit card promotions and charity shopping malls can be good non-profit fundraisers as well. During a credit card promotion, a company donates a small amount of money to a charity each time consumers make a purchase with their credit cards. A charity shopping mall is similar but involves an online, for-profit store. Non-profit organizations register with the website and the store pledges to donate a certain amount of its profits to the registered charities.