People get tired of doing the same old things. It’s time to get innovative with how you raise money. We have creativity in abundance at SOAR. We suggest you base your next fundraiser on the things your community likes to do. If you’d like advice on an idea, email iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.com. We are happy to provide feedback!

SOARful ideas:

• Run a contest on social media to engage your current donors while increasing your donor base. A photo or video contest will have participants sharing their work while bringing more traffic and attention to your cause. Make it a public vote to determine the winner and now you’ve increased traffic to your page. People pay a small fee to participate and then they pay to have their photo/video posted with you for a number of times. 5X is free, 10X – small fee, 20X – higher fee, and so on. Make a menu of opportunities you can offer for a fee and watch how fast it grows.
• Develop a puzzle describing your mission. Then, sell the puzzle to people who love the work you do. Offer a competition so the puzzle buyers bring friends/family together at their home for putting the puzzle together. They take a photo when beginning the puzzle and at an allotted end time. At the end of the contest period, the group with the most pieces fitting in during the allotted time wins the prize. The benefit: your message is shared over and over again to the groups putting the puzzles together! You could also sell “clues” ahead of time. These clues will help the people put the puzzle together.
• Sell an experience. People living in a mining district sell an SUV trail ride to visit an old mine. If there’s a racetrack near you and someone you know has a cool car – make it about being a passenger for a couple of laps around the track. This is also a great opportunity to partner with another business in your area actually in the business of providing “experiences.”
• Parade coming up? A person could buy their spot on a float your organization is entering.
• This is fun. Get some friends together and go on a mobile scavenger hunt. The first one back with all things on the list wins! Add a price to participation and prizes.
• Have a digital scavenger hunt. Think of creative, funny pictures you could take with people in the community. Make a list and share with those who pay to participate. Add prizes and a closing event…fun, fun, fun.

There are many ways outside of the traditional fundraiser to raise money. It could be a “new” activity that hangs on for a couple of years because you continue to expand on it. In fact, allowing an activity to grow naturally is the best way to create a sustainable program.

Good luck!

Email iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org OR, schedule a call to get your fundraising questions answered.