1. get set up with Givio

You’ll want your GermZAPP fundraising campaign to get started on the right foot, so make sure you’re using a fundraising tool that allows everyone to give quickly and easily.

Some fundraising platforms require givers to be a signed-in member to make a donation — excluding givers who either don’t have an account, or simply aren’t signed in. On Givio, no one gets left out. ANYONE can donate to your campaign, anywhere, without the need to sign up or sign in to anything.

To get started with Givio, download the app for iPhone or Android and go ahead and sign up for a free Givio account so you can access the Launch a Fundraiser tool. Givio’s fundraiser builder is easy and self-guiding. 3 minutes or less is all it takes to launch your fundraising campaign.

2. set a goal and deadline

Make sure you know what your school or organization’s GermZAPP needs are up front and calculate the total annual cost to implement the program. That amount will be your fundraising goal.

Once you’ve set your goal, you can make a plan to raise those funds using every means of communication you have at your disposal — email, text message, social media posts, newsletters, your website, or mailers, billboards, flyers and event posters displaying the campaign’s QR code.

For example, if you need $7,000 for your annual GermZAPP safety program, and you have a contact list and network with 300 likely donors averaging $25 each, you can be confident about meeting your $7,000 goal. But if your network is smaller, say 100 regular donors, you’ll need to switch your strategy.

One effective approach is to ask local businesses for a corporate sponsorship — where in exchange for a donation, they get recognition as a sponsor. In this scenario, just 4 corporate sponsorships at $1,200 each will more than make up the difference.

Additionally, you can ask your supporters to launch THEIR OWN GermZAPP campaign for your facility. Because ANYONE can sign up for Givio for free and launch a campaign for any nonprofit, they can put their own name on a fundraiser and reach out to their own networks to help. Afterall, people give to people (not institutions).

3. determine your “ask”

People are more likely to take the action you want them to take when you ask very directly. Example: “Please donate today to help us kill deadly viruses. Just $25 will help fund GermZAPP for an entire year.”

In this example, you’re not just asking them to give, you’re asking them to give a certain amount, today — now. When you remove the variables like “how much should I give? When do they need it?”, you make it easier for people to respond on the spot.

Keep in mind, you may have different groups of people you’re appealing to and each group may require a different “ask”. Some groups might respond better to a $5 appeal. (No amount is ever too small). Other groups may respond to a $50 appeal. Businesses may respond to a $500 appeal (or much, much more). The bottom line is: know your audience and make the “call to action” reasonable and rewarding for them.

4. write a personal appeal “why”

You’re about to ask people to donate their money in a tough economy. So you’ll want to give them the very good reason why they should skip that store bought smoothie (or 10) and make a contribution to your GermZAPP fundraiser instead.

Facts, faces, personal connections and tangible, life-changing outcomes incorporated into your story all help.

And remember, people give for two reasons: (1) because YOU’RE appealing to them and/or (2) because they feel a connection to the community health.  The more specific you get, the easier it will be for people to envision the massive positive impact and be inspired to contribute.

5. use a compelling image

Imagery is powerful. Combined with a strong appeal it can go a long way in making that emotional connection that inspires a giver to give.

Givio’s campaign builder allows you to select any image from your phone’s photo library for your campaign cover image. But just in case you don’t already have a photo for your campaign (or the time, tools or skills to craft a custom graphic), Givio offers a library of carefully curated campaign cover images that you can choose from to keep things simple for yourself, yet effective.

If you’re one of those people that works with Canva or Photoshop to create custom graphics, you have a little more flexibility to go the extra mile to make that emotional appeal. You can select and format an image from your school or organization’s website or social media accounts. Or, you can find a stock image that conveys the right content and emotion for your appeal. Free resources like Unsplash and Pexels have thousands of amazing images you can use — all they ask is that you include a photo credit. Including your school or organization’s logo is also a great idea, as this will help your viewers make the connection between your “ask” and the outcome of their donation.

6. identify your sphere of givers and helpers

It’s time to take inventory of all the people and networks in your sphere. Sometimes writing it all down helps.

Starting with those closest to your school or organization, identify all the people and entities that are directly impacted by the threat of germs in the community: family, friends, neighbors, other organizations, faith-based groups, teams, businesses, vendors, social media followers, etc. You may be surprised just how big your list gets.

Next, think about how you communicate and engage with these people and groups? Different audiences tend to have different communication preferences, and you’ll want to consider using all of them: phone, text, email, IM, website(s), Slack, Teams, Blackboard, Skype, Zoom, social media, live and virtual events, etc.

And last, but definitely not least, ask yourself if any of your connections are “influencers” — people or organizations with a large and engaged following that can help you raise awareness of your campaign. Ask them to share your campaign with their networks. Influencers can help you dramatically widen your circle. Bottom line: the more people engaged in giving and helping, the better your results will be.

7. share and promote your campaign

You’ve taken all the steps so far to create a compelling fundraising campaign. You’ve identified your potential givers. Now its time to share the campaign and make the ask.

The most successful campaigns become successful because they use a variety of methods to communicate to a variety of audiences about the fundraiser — and they do it often.

For the life of your campaign, wherever your school or organization is represented, your campaign should be promoted too. Here are some examples of where we like to share our campaigns.

8. share again. and again. (and again)

Sometimes you need to ask more than once. So make a plan, timed across your campaign, for a first, second, and third “ask”.

How often have you seen something that caught your interest, but you were busy and thought “I’ll get back to that later” (but then you forgot). It’s human nature. So keep that in mind when reaching out. Give your contacts multiple opportunities to act on your request. But remember, there’s a fine line between helpful reminders and pestering. Be respectful of your potential donors.

Remember too that a sense of urgency can help people to act. Example: “We’re just $500 short with a few hours left to go in our campaign. We can kill germs before they spread if you help, now, with a $25 donation.”

Real deadlines can prompt people to put aside whatever else they were doing and make the gift.

9. express gratitude

Give something back to your givers — a message of appreciation and positive impact.

People give because it makes them feel good to know they are helping to deliver a solution. Your messages of success and appreciation can go a long way in strengthening an already positive experience for you and your donors. And when the time comes again to raise funds for the next year, they’ll be more likely to respond to your appeals.

10. remember, your efforts make a real difference

Fundraising is like community health: the effort is proportional to the success. It’s because of people like you, dedicated to making positive change, that make communities a safer, healthier, happier place. So thank you for what you do. Now, go forth and fundraise and help keep your community healthy!

— Your friends at Givio