Like most nonprofit organizations, churches rely on donors who partner with them financially to fulfill their mission. Whether you’re looking for virtual fundraising ideas for your youth group, mission trips, building construction, or any other worthy cause, creating an online fundraising campaign for your church can be a fun, simple, and inexpensive way to reach your goals and get your community on board!
While the traditional approach to fundraising usually involves in-person events, virtual fundraising events are less expensive, easier to coordinate, and more effective at reaching a larger audience since they don’t exclude anyone who can’t attend due to difficulty or distance.
Now more than ever, online fundraising is essential for churches to fulfill their mission and keep their donors engaged. With a virtual fundraiser, you can enable your community to donate anytime, anywhere. best church fundraisers
Getting started
Before you start raising money for your church online, you’ll want to make sure you have three important elements in place:
- A robust online donation solution
- A dedicated fundraising page on your church’s website and mobile app
- One or more church social media channels for sharing
First, your church’s fundraising platform should allow you to receive donations, tithes, and other charitable gifts through your website and mobile app. The best giving platforms will have no monthly fees, along with special features such as text-to-give and recurring giving options.
Designated funds and sub-funds are also essential features for your campaign (e.g., “Mission trip” or “New building project”), so people can easily specify what their donation is intended for. Learn more about what features to look for in a fundraising solution.
Second, you’ll want to set up a dedicated page on your website and mobile app as the central locations to receive all donations for your campaign. Your church’s mobile app can also send out push notifications with reminders about how to engage with your fundraiser. If you plan to have an ongoing or long-term campaign, consider creating a fundraising website for your church’s cause.
Before communicating with your supporters, spend some time crafting the following:
- A unique headline for the fundraising pages on your app and website.
- A clearly defined purpose for your campaign, including your goals.
- Videos, pictures, and stories that showcase the positive impact your charity event will have.
- A compelling call-to-action with clear steps to follow for making donations.
Lastly, sharing your virtual fundraiser on your church’s social media is a great way to connect with a wider audience. You can easily remind your online community how your church is making a difference in your area, and ask them to participate in your charity campaign. Be sure to post about your fundraising campaign regularly and ask your congregation to share your posts on their social media accounts as well in order to maximize your reach.
Now that your digital giving, website, mobile app, and social media are ready to go, let’s dive into twenty effective and engaging fundraiser ideas for your church, missions, youth groups, and small groups!