Campus Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising Ideas for College

When clubs and groups on campus need extra money, organizing a fundraiser or donation programs is a great way for them to get the cash they need. In this guide, readers will find a variety of ideas for fundraising events to help them reach their goals. Plus, there's guidance on mistakes to avoid when planning fundraisers and resources that provide additional assistance.

Top 15 Effective Fundraising Tactics

To be successful, campus groups should choose a fundraising idea that fits the personality of the organization and piques the interest of the donor community. The following ideas are fun and effective for student groups and extracurriculars.

Dodge These Fundraising Mistakes

A student group can have a great idea for a fundraiser, but unless the organizers execute it properly, they won't get the results they hope for. The following are some common fundraising mistakes that should be avoided.

• Not creating a plan
  Fundraisers need to have a roadmap of what they're going to do and when they're going to do it. Failing to hash out the details of a fundraiser will leave a group disorganized with no clear idea of how all the pieces of the event should fall into place.
  
• Not having strong leadership
  Although the fundraiser is a group effort, there needs to be strong leadership in place to take the reins and make sure things get done. Students working on the event will have times when they need guidance, so a leadership team should be in place to provide that support.
  
• Not training volunteers
  People who help with fundraisers may not have experience asking strangers for money, so it's important for the leadership team to train them on how to make a pitch for the event to get people to show up and open their wallets.
  
• Not creating deadlines
  Busy students who are helping with a fundraiser in their spare time need to know when tasks should be completed. Event leaders must set up a firm schedule for everyone involved to ensure each task is completed.
  
• Not communicating with donors regularly
  Student groups should be in touch with past and potential donors on a regular basis to let them know what's going on with the organization. Notify donors about how their contribution helped, so they will feel like it's worthwhile for them to donate again.
  
• Not explaining why funds are needed
  People like giving — if they are giving for a good reason. When approaching donors, campus groups should explicitly spell out the fundraiser's purpose and where the money is going.
  
• Not highlighting the donate button
  If the organization has a website that promotes its fundraisers, the donate button should be front and center on the site — and operational. Hiding the button will frustrate potential donors and possibly cause them to spend their money elsewhere. Similarly, a donate button that doesn't work is just as good as not having one at all.
  
• Not identifying prospective large donors
  During a fundraising campaign, it's important for a group to determine who is likely to give a large donation and focus outreach toward that group. For example, a sorority or fraternity should reach out to alumni who are members of their organization, because they have a personal connection to it.
  
• Not identifying new donors
  Although a group may have tried and true donors it can go to each time there's a fundraiser, students shouldn't rely only on those people. It's important to always look for new, potential donors that may be interested in helping the group, otherwise the donor pool won't be able to grow.
  
• Not asking enough
  During a fundraising campaign, it's not enough to just contact prospective donors one time. It's important for a group to follow up to maximize the results. Also, donors should be contacted on multiple channels, such as snail mail, email and social media.
  
• Not being direct
  Some people don't feel comfortable asking for money, and as a result, they may not make it clear what they're trying to accomplish. While it's a mistake to be too pushy when asking for money, not being direct will make a group lose opportunities to raise the funds they need.
  
• Not using diverse strategies
  Campus groups that do fundraisers every year should avoid doing the same kind of event annually. Although one type of fundraiser may have been successful in the past, if it gets stale, there will be a decline in donations. It's best to revitalize fundraising efforts each year to keep people excited about contributing.
  
• Not keeping track of the numbers
  Event organizers need to know how their event did in terms of funds and attendance. Not keeping track of how each fundraiser performed means your group misses out on valuable information that can be used to plan future events.
  
• Not having a realistic goal
  When planning a fundraiser, organizers may have high hopes about how much money they can bring in. Although it's great to be optimistic and enthusiastic about what the group can achieve, people still need to look at the results of past fundraising efforts to help set realistic goals.
  
• Not thanking donors
  Groups must build a relationship with their donors to have successful fundraisers each year. Part of this is remembering to thank them for coming to the event and being generous with their time and money.
  
• Not using social media in the right way
  Social media is a great way to reach potential donors and publicize an event. However, some people may be tempted to set up an auto direct message asking for donations when people follow them. Since social media users are already bombarded with automatic messages, many of which are solicitations, when they follow someone new, this can make them less likely to help — and can even turn them off to an organization completely.

Additional Fundraising Resources