07 Oct 5 Effective Holiday Fundraising Ideas for 2022

Many are in a giving spirit during the holiday season, but with the uncertain economy, including inflation and soaring gas prices, this fundraising period might look a bit more challenging for some. That’s why we’re here to provide essential fundraising strategies to boost your donor relations.

1) Leverage Your Social Media 

Social media can have a significant impact on your fundraising success. Meta, a huge tech giant, has released several tools to cater to the nonprofit community. Your nonprofit can benefit by leveraging these tools by adding donation buttons and creating event pages for your fundraising efforts. We know that you’ll also need donations from your followers and recommend using the 80/20 rule where 20% of your post directly ask for donations, while the other 80% can be emotionally driven content.

2) Embrace events

Events are a powerful tool for increasing your fundraising efforts. If your nonprofit is hosting a fundraising event, getting that event featured in the media can allow you to reach a new audience and connect to more potential donors. The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced events to pause and pivot, but remarkable change and innovation came along with that. According to Bizzabo, 60% of leadership believe that events are the most critical marketing channel for achieving business goals? 35% of events in 2022 will be in-person, based on a survey from Statista. 67% of event professionals believe in-person meetings will return to their pre-pandemic numbers within one to two years, according to AMEX. Hold personal or intimate events to make a big impact.

3) Offer an Easy text-to-give Option

Giving should be easy! The easier it is to give, the more successful your fundraising campaign will be. A text-to-give option makes donating easy, and your donors can give by simply sending a text on their phone. Your text-to-give information should be simple, easy to remember, and on brand.

4) Host a Gingerbread House decorating contest

Put your donor’s creative skills to the test with creative activities such as a gingerbread house decorating contest! Add this event or other creative initiatives to your holiday party festivities and give your participants a time limit to construct their homes, then schedule a period for judging where participants collect donations as “votes”.

5) Plan a Winter Carnival 

Events like a Winter Carnival add inclusivity and a bit of fun to your fundraising season. This allows you to incorporate various holidays and have an opportunity to partner with organizations such as local artists and businesses, further expanding your message’ outreach. You can integrate carnival games as well as ‘ask’ activities to bring both interactions as well as messaging to your event.

There are plenty of ways for your nonprofit to raise funds during the holiday season! We’d love to hear what fundraising ideas you’ll try!