How to Raise Money Online for a Personal Cause
If you’ve ever seen an online fundraiser surge past its goal, propelled by the power of human generosity, you may have thought, “How on Earth did that happen?” If you have no idea how to raise money online, you’re not alone.
Believe it or not, you can learn how to fundraise online, whether for yourself or for a loved one who needs help. Most of the online fundraisers for individuals you see on social media were launched not by professionals but by people like you! If you’d like to learn how to raise money online for a personal cause, stick around — we’re here to equip you for the task.
To prepare you for fundraising success, we’ll discuss how online fundraising supports personal causes, walk you through the fundraising process step-by-step, and introduce you to a private, invite-only online fundraising platform that may be a perfect fit for your needs. By the time we’re through, you’ll know how to start a fundraiser online and finish strong, too.
How online fundraising supports personal causes
Life is expensive, and it’s inspiring to watch people make it more affordable for others through online fundraising.
Friends and family regularly come through for one another in times of need using online fundraising platforms, raising money for food and rent, medical bills, unexpected emergencies, and even the ongoing costs of senior care.
In schools, youth fundraise to counter the climbing costs of participating in sports. Students and their parents launch fundraisers to assist underpaid teachers with paying for classroom expenses and activities. Family members band together to fundraise online to cover college costs.
Most of these people know very little about how to start a fundraiser online or how to collect donations online after it ends. They all proceed anyway, intent on helping one another, and regardless of inexperience. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
How to fundraise online: A step-by-step guide
To join in on the beauty of launching online fundraisers for individuals, walk through this step-by-step guide. You’ll have a successful fundraiser to celebrate in no time!
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Set fundraising goals
If you’ve ever come across an online fundraiser with an astronomically high goal — and reacted immediately with disbelief and distrust — you may already know that unrealistic goals can doom a fundraiser from the outset.
You’re more likely to convert readers into donors with realistic goals. Start by considering all foreseeable expenses for your cause and plan to explain to potential donors exactly how you will use their donations. Trust and transparency go hand in hand!
You may also want to search for comparable fundraisers online when setting goals. Evaluating similar fundraisers can help you determine if your fundraising goal is reasonable. That is, if your figures are within the general range of similar projects, you’re probably in the right ballpark.
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Choose an online fundraising platform
While we’ve written elsewhere about how to choose an online fundraising platform, we’ll hit the highlights here: Finding a platform that specializes in online fundraisers for individuals and fits your fundraising needs is the first order of business.
As you search for the right platform, decide whether you want to fundraise once over a short period or over a longer stretch of time. If your needs are more long-term, a monthly donation platform might do the trick.
You also need to weigh the platform’s approach to fundraising. Does it involve an all-or-nothing model that leaves you empty-handed if you fail to reach your fundraising goal? Or does it offer a flexible funding model that allows you to keep whatever you collect no matter what?
Keep an eye out for a platform that allows you to communicate with donors, charges reasonable fees, operates transparently and is user-friendly, too. All of these features benefit both you and potential donors!
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Create a campaign page that converts
All of us have, at some point, encountered less-than-compelling online fundraisers for individuals.
“Down on my luck. Don’t want to say why,” the campaign description reads. “Would appreciate any help. Thanks.” While this example is fictional, it feels like one you’ve seen, doesn’t it?
We can understand how a person in need might want privacy. Some things are too painful to share with the whole world. Without a compelling campaign page, however, this fundraiser is unlikely to convert readers into donors.
If privacy is a concern, aim to connect with a personal appeal and as much detail as you’re comfortable sharing. Draw the reader in by telling your story and give the reader no choice but to step into your shoes, if only for a moment. Pull out all the stops to convert readers into donors. You can do it!
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Send personalized invitations
When creating your fundraiser, you may have specific people in mind who would be ideal donors — people who care about you, your cause or the person benefiting from your efforts.
Get them involved by sending them personalized invitations. The earlier the better, as early donors add momentum to a campaign, inspiring others to join the fundraising frenzy!
If you’re friendly with these people, you may feel comfortable emailing or texting them about the fundraiser on the fly. For others, sending a more memorable invitation like these from Evite might work magic. You may even ask them in person over a cup of tea.
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Share your campaign
When sharing information about fundraising for personal causes, certain privacy concerns may prevent you from promoting your project on your favorite social media platforms.
If you have no such concerns, however, cast a wide net online, posting everywhere you see fit. The kindness of friends and strangers can go a long way in helping you reach your goal!
For extra oomph, think of people who might have extra clout when it comes to the subject of your fundraiser. If, for example, you’re raising money for youth sports and a famous athlete graduated from your child’s school, reach out to ask if he or she would be willing to share your fundraiser. At worst, you’ll be ignored but at best, you’ll expand your reach exponentially.
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Update donors about the campaign
As donations add up, provide your donors with fundraising updates.
If the campaign is maintaining momentum on its own, thank them for contributing and tell them you’re excited about the progress — it will be the truth!
If the campaign is stalling, refrain from saying so. Instead, encourage donors to share the fundraiser with people in their networks who might contribute.
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Monitor your campaign, adjust as needed
Keep an eye on your campaign throughout the fundraising process. If things are not going as planned, you may need to make your campaign content more compelling or share some detailed updates.
You may also sail right past your fundraising goal. There’s nothing wrong with adjusting your fundraising goal. It’s okay to ask for more money if people want to continue helping the person benefiting from the fundraiser!
A private online fundraising alternative: AutoGive
Earlier, we talked about a less-than-compelling fictional fundraising campaign that lacked a narrative hook to reel the reader into the organizer’s story. Perhaps his story was too painful to tell to a wider audience.
He might have benefitted from AutoGive — a private, invite-only platform offering a unique approach to online fundraisers for individuals.
When it comes to sensitive stories, a platform that places a premium on privacy serves as a safe space where people can contribute money to help people in need while safeguarding their stories.
Best of all, AutoGive offers ongoing support to people who need it instead of relying on a one-and-done approach that leaves people hanging in the long run. Invitees agree to contribute monthly amounts to offer support for ongoing needs.
AutoGive is a simple, convenient way to support people. If you want to fundraise on the platform, you only need to create a group and invite the people most likely to agree to ongoing contributions — usually a person’s friends and family.
If a woman is struggling to put food on the table because of unemployment, for example, an AutoGive group can make it easy for friends and family to help with monthly contributions, offering a safety net in a time of insecurity.
Let’s say $2,000/month would provide peace of mind for this woman, helping her pay bills while she applies for work. If 25 people agree to contribute through AutoGive, each person only needs to pay $80/month to support her.
When she finds a job and starts receiving paychecks, the group creator can communicate with donors about the change and assess whether additional aid is required based on the woman’s overall needs.
All of this happens apart from social media. As a result, a woman whose employer would not let her hang on to her job can hang on to her dignity and face the future with support from a caring community.
Whether you fundraise through AutoGive or another platform, we hope you’ll soon be able to celebrate fundraising success with a caring crowd of donors. Learning how to raise money online is a skill that you can hold onto and benefit from for many years to come.
