Nonprofits drive meaningful change, but limited budgets can make it tough to achieve big goals. Crowdfunding helps fill the gap by raising money for the initiatives that matter most to your organization. This guide offers practical, actionable fundraising tips to help your nonprofit make the most of every opportunity.
The first step to hitting your fundraising goals is establishing a presence on GoFundMe. A great place to start is claiming your Nonprofit Page. In doing so, you make it easier for donors to find and support your cause. To ensure this page is both compelling and inspiring, you’ll need to consider the messaging, social proof, and storytelling techniques you leverage. Here, we go over a few basic tips to help you get started.
Your mission statement powerfully drives action by anchoring your organization to its “why.” It influences your brand, programs, long-term strategy, and funding opportunities—surfacing and communicating your core values to supporters in just a few words.
At its strongest, a mission statement explains three things: why your organization exists, whom it serves, and how it serves them.
Your mission statement will be the first thing potential supporters see when they land on your Nonprofit Page. When done right, it inspires trust and action, helping people quickly understand why your work matters.
Just like comments on social media, displaying fundraising activity offers supporters instant recognition and a sense of community. It provides social proof, shows real-time impact, and creates urgency—encouraging donors to return, give, and feel part of a winning movement.
The more your supporters share, the broader your reach—and the greater your ability to inspire action. Equip them with the tools and encouragement to share your story and launch fundraisers on GoFundMe. Don’t forget to link your active social media and review sites to keep supporters engaged across platforms. This kind of organic amplification builds awareness, strengthens connections, and attracts new supporters to your cause.
Now that you’ve taken the time to set up your Nonprofit Page, the next step is to focus on getting the word out. We’ll cover how to best reach your supporters through different avenues and how to cast a wider net to reach people outside of your social network.
Creating a marketing plan is essential to reaching your fundraising goals. Once your Nonprofit Page is live, collaborate with your team to promote it across email, social media, your website, and other key channels. If you’re hosting an event, find ways to spotlight your page before, during, and after.
And if you’re launching a GoFundMe Pro campaign, use your communications to highlight the Nonprofit Page as another powerful way supporters can get involved.
The best way to rally support for your cause is focusing on donors that have supported your organization in the past. These donors may not all be reachable in the same place, so it’s critical you’re showing up across multiple channels to ensure you’re meeting them where they are.
Here are some of the avenues you can take:
Receiving a burst of support followed by a lull in donations is all a natural part of the fundraising process. But if you’d like to keep supporters engaged with your Nonprofit Page for the long-term, we have some advice to help.
Updates keep your supporters informed about your progress while also gently reminding them that you still need their continued support. Knowing how to write effective updates—and doing so frequently—can protect your organization’s long-term sustainability. If you aren’t sure what to write in your update, here are a few ideas:
Updates keep your donors informed about your fundraiser’s progress while also gently reminding them that you still need their continued support. Knowing how to write effective updates—and doing so frequently—can pull your fundraiser out of a donation slump. If you aren’t sure what to write in your update, here are a few ideas:
Hosting events offline is an invaluable way to connect with supporters on a deeper level and educate potential donors about your organization’s mission and financial needs. Whether you decide to host a rally, park or beach clean-up, or simply a fundraising happy hour, an event brings the community together while providing new opportunities to ask for support. Get creative with your fundraising efforts to make sure your supporters are excited about attending.
Making sure your supporters feel appreciated is crucial in maintaining a strong donor base. Donors are more likely to give again if they’ve received a thank you message and feel valued. And when potential donors see how much your organization appreciates its supporters, this may increase donor retention and encourage recurring giving. Even something like a handwritten note or personalized email can make all the difference when someone is deciding whether or not they want to offer continued support to your cause.
If your organization has goals that fall outside of its budget, GoFundMe can help you to meet them without ending up in the red. Claiming your Nonprofit Page can help your organization raise funds and bring more awareness to your mission without additional costs. Get started today.
More than $50M is raised a week on GoFundMe to support people like you