Tips on Turning Tiny Campaigns Into Big Money

Make it matter
By running a microcampaign, you have the unique opportunity to cultivate not only donors but fellow cause champions. Use your appeals to educate friends and family about the cause or the organization you’re supporting. When doing this online, you equip them with the resources they need to engage as deeply as you have. While the primary purpose of a microcampaign is to generate funds, one of the largest influences you can have on your cause is to generate the type of passion that spurs others to action, allowing your microcampaign to multiply organically and at no further cost to you. One evangelist is worth much more than one donation.

Though microfundraising takes place on a small scale, the difference between a good microcampaign and a great one can become exponential when applied across a dedicated base of cause champions. Fundraisers need to recognize the tools at their disposal and work to make their communication with donors as personal as possible. Organizations should always be on the lookout for ways to give their volunteers technology that will increase the reach and convenience of their fundraising efforts. Ultimately, fundraisers should strive to create fellow fundraisers in parallel to creating donors. When participants craft their appeals with these principles in mind, microcampaigns can have enormous impact on a nonprofit’s total fundraising strategy.

Sarah Hoddinott is a product manager with Advanced Solutions International, an Alexandria, Va.-based software provider for nonprofits.