It’s a happy, rewarding cycle of philanthropy for small nonprofits. Attract more people to your public community events and fundraisers, raise more money to support your mission, and make a bigger difference for those who depend on your nonprofit. Then use what you learn from each event to make the next one more successful.
But how does a small nonprofit with a limited budget start that cycle and attract as many people as possible to an event? Here are nine free or inexpensive ways to get the word out and motivate people to act!
1) Contact Local Media
Local newspapers, radio stations, town/city websites, online publications, and other media will often run free public service announcements and discounted ads for small nonprofits. Reach out to local media outlets in the communities you serve!
2) Connect with Social Media Groups and Influencers
Just about every town has at least one Facebook community group page where people post about what’s happening locally. Post several times on your local group pages leading up to your event! Consider trying Nextdoor, a popular social networking platform that allows residents and organizations in local neighborhoods to connect and share information. Also, if there’s a popular social media influencer who lives in or near your community, find out if they support your mission and are willing to promote and attend your event.
3) Get into Your Supporters’ Inbox
Email continues to be a simple, cost-efficient way to connect with supporters while delivering high response rates. Your donor database in conjunction with an email platform, like Constant Contact or MailChimp, makes it easy to set up, design, execute, and measure the success of email campaigns. You can also purchase highly targeted email lists from reputable vendors to augment the list you already have.
4) Get into Local Homes with Direct Mail
Did you know letter-sized envelope campaigns deliver higher ROI than SMS texting, email, paid search, social media ads, and digital display ads, according to the 2022 ANA Response Rate Report? In a digital world, there’s nothing like having something tangible in your hands to read now or set aside to read later. You can also deliver your message right to the front door by canvassing local communities with door hangers!
5) Partner with Local Businesses and Vendors
Develop sponsorship packages for local businesses. This will not only boost your fundraising, but you can also benefit from sponsors promoting your event and encouraging employees, families, and friends to attend. Local vendors, such as bands, deejays, musicians, caterers, and florists, will do the same!
6) Invite Local Artisans to Sell Their Artwork
Crafters, jewelry makers, painters, sculptors, and other artisans are always looking for opportunities to reach new audiences, and many have large social media followings. Invite them to set up booths for a small fee or a portion of proceeds and encourage them to promote your small nonprofit event!
7) Invite Community Leaders to Participate and Volunteer
The names of well-known local figures tend to carry a lot of weight. Elected officials, teachers, principals, coaches, the police and fire chief, and even local business owners are like celebrities in their own communities. Everybody loves when the principal sits in a dunk tank, the mayor serves as a guest bartender, and high school coaches scoop ice cream. Ask them to get involved and add their clout to your event!
8) Team Up with Local Clubs and Community Groups
Church groups. Theatre groups. Sports teams. Cycling clubs. Gamers. Fellow nonprofits. Reach out to local clubs and groups that complement or align with your mission and ask them to spread the word about your small nonprofit event!
9) Recruit Volunteers
Most fundraising and community events held by small nonprofits depend heavily on volunteers to make the events successful. In many cases, volunteering at an event could be someone’s first exposure to your event. Make volunteer recruitment part of all outreach to get more people involved with your organization and tap into their personal and professional networks!
Remember, you don’t have to use every suggestion in this article. Start with a few that you think are manageable and can be effective for your nonprofit. Then continue to try new things based on what works best!
