This guest blog post is brought to OSSO by intern Emily Gardner.
When it comes to fundraising, I frequently hear that volunteers don’t know how to get started. They don’t feel comfortable or bold enough to ask for money.
Fundraising can be a great way to earn money for your program fee, which ends up helping the orphans we support in Ecuador and Thailand. I want to break it down and simplify it for you.
Here are seven tips to make your fundraising experience successful and enjoyable.
1. Start today!
Give yourself plenty of time to be successful; fundraising takes time. Not everyone you send an invite to or ask to donate will participate. But the more people you talk to, the more donations you will receive.
2. Talk to friends and family.
They want the best for you and they will be excited for you. Since you are connected to Orphanage Support Services Org. (OSSO), your loved ones will be more likely to donate to OSSO than to an unfamiliar organization.
3. Get creative.
Come up with fun ideas. Original and fresh approaches make your fundraiser attractive to potential donors.
4. Be prepared.
Understand as much as you can about us and our mission. When you talk with potential donors, be able to answer any questions they may ask you. Familiarize yourself with our nonprofit organization and what you will be doing as a volunteer. Donors want to know what their money is going towards. Make sure you can explain that with confidence.
Of course, it’s okay to not know every answer. Remember there is always someone in the OSSO office to help you.
5. Be patient.
Give yourself time. Not everyone will respond right away. Don’t worry or get overwhelmed. If you work at fundraising a little bit at a time, soon you will start to see results.
6. Have fun.
By putting together an exciting fundraiser, others will see your passion and love. The enthusiasm will be contagious. Passion drives action. Find a way to raise money in a way you will enjoy.
7. Learn from others.
Many volunteers have had great opportunities and successes while fundraising for OSSO. Here is some of their advice.
“Fundraising helped me be able to go to Ecuador because without it, I never would have had enough money and I would have never gotten to meet the kids and let them bless my life.”
“Start fundraising as early as possible. You shouldn’t expect huge donations, but rather a lot of little ones. … Get all your friends involved and encourage them to ask people they know. Get them to ask their [coworkers], etc. In my experience, if you give yourself lots of time and talk to lots of different people, then you will get a lot of money. People who have never heard of OSSO tend to donate because they haven’t been asked before.”