How nonprofits can use a blog to raise funds first appeared on the Yahoo Contributor Network on June 30, 2011.
This day and age every
dollar counts and most dollars are shrinking. It's no wonder then that
charity organizations are looking for ways to increase revenue. Blogging
and social media is becoming more popular among charitable
organizations.
Much of the funding from the nonprofit I serve comes from online
sources. In fact, a large chunk of our funding comes from our blog.
Surprised? Don't be. There are many ways that nonprofits can use a blog
to raise funds.
As my board of directors found out the results of raising funds
through blogging won't be immediate. However, with a designated blogger
and some hard work your charity may begin seeing results in a few months
or less.
Connections
First and foremost a blog is a wonderful tool to connect your
nonprofit with the world. Specifically, you want your volunteers and
board of directors to sit up and pay attention. This should be your
primary target audience. They are already vested in your organization
and want to know what is going on. Blogs are a good way to keep your
organization's activities in front of them.
Donations
Some people think that nonprofits can use their blog to raise funds by
simply putting it online and adding a Pay Pal button. In reality, it's
just not that simple. There are a few people who will donate online but
most won't.
However, even the ones who won't use an online donation process will
like having it there. It gives your board of directors the feeling that
all the bases are covered. What they don't realize is that the promotion
of an online donation link is largely up to them. Nonprofits can create
the best content in the world but it's secondary to the support of a
board of directors.
Board of Directors
Nonprofits need to get their board of directors involved when trying
to raise funds with a blog. Chance are high that many of your directors
will have jobs or own their own small companies. What better way to show
their support for the nonprofit than to take out a small ad?
When your board member's company graphic or business card is scanned
in and posted to the blog it does two things. First, it shows the board
members support and commitment to the nonprofit. Second, it demonstrates
a way that a blog can help raise funds.
Sponsored advertisements
When you talk with local companies about sponsored advertisements
expect to be asked about board member support. Showing them that other
businesses are already using your blog to get their message out makes
them more likely to support the blog.
When looking at how nonprofits can use a blog to get sponsored
advertisements there are a couple of ways that this can be done. One way
is to talk with your local companies and get them on board. Your
charity can rent sidebar space or sell blog articles themselves.
Renting or selling space to online companies
There are online companies that will help your nonprofit raise funds.
They don't tend to pay as much as a local sponsorship. However, these
companies can be useful for filling in gaps.
If you do register with a company do make sure that you can turn down
any offers that don't fit with your blog theme. Don't take the chance on
writing a $6.00 blog post and alienate your donor base. Articles that
are unrelated to your mission are confusing for donors and volunteers.
The thing to remember is that nonprofits can use a blog to raise
funds. The nonprofit that I work with has done so for years. Blogging is
is an effective tool that many charities may want to consider.
