Nonprofit Fundraising Ideas

The best source for nonprofit fundraising ideas is nonprofits. I recently asked a group of nonprofit leaders for some of the best ideas they’ve either used or seen. Here are some ideas to help your nonprofit think about ways to raise more money for your mission:

Ashley Arendt, Northside Neighborhood House. “Giving Tuesday was beneficial for us because of the planning we put into it. We had a matching gift lined up in advance that we were able to promote. By using email and social media, we were able to reach our matching goal by the end of the day.”

Ben Baldwin, Mission Increase Chattanooga. “We convene people to get in the same room together from a number of nonprofits. It’s advertised as a networking event for nonprofit leaders. The unique thing about it is that there are also major donors in the room who they get to meet. It’s a great opportunity to introduce your mission and learn from what others are doing.”

Kelly Brugh, First Things First. “I attended a fundraising event for a food pantry. When it came time for the dinner to be served, people were served small portions of basic foods. The purpose was to help people experience what food insecurity looks like and feels like. Of course, they paid for a full meal and so they eventually received a generous portion. But still, it was an effective way to help

Erica Martin, Bethel Bible Village. “We host a fundraising event with a twist called Country Connections. Instead of a traditional banquet, we feature a short concert from an emerging country artist. We also serve barbecue for the meal. Attendees get a good meal and good music while learning about a good cause.”

Allie Roberts, Choices. “We provide services to pregnant women. We have a facility and medical staff. We had the idea to stream a video to show the patient experience, from checking in to ultrasounds. Of course, we’d have to use actresses as patients for confidentiality reasons. But a video tour is a great way for people to see what we do instead of hearing us explain it or merely reading about it.”

Lily Sanchez, La Paz Chattanooga. “We are focused on serving the Hispanic and Latino communities in Southeast Tennessee. We find donors by going to cultural-specific events for the Hispanic and Latino communities. We know the people in attendance already have an interest in the culture we are serving and it’s an excellent opportunity for us to introduce our mission to them.”