4 Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make With Donation Tax Receipts

Guest post by ThriftCart

Donation tax receipts are crucial to nonprofit operations. Not only are they essential for compliance, but they are also critical stewardship tools that build trust with donors. For the donor, it is the key they need to claim their deduction. For the nonprofit, it is a final, vital touchpoint to prove professionalism and express gratitude.

Whether you’re issuing a receipt for a gift made during a fundraising event or a cryptocurrency gift, the right process is critical to your nonprofit’s success. Unfortunately, many organizations make simple, avoidable errors on these receipts. These mistakes can damage relationships with donors or even create compliance issues that risk your nonprofit’s status. 

This article will dive into the four most common donation tax receipt mistakes and how you can fix them.

Missing Required Information

The most critical mistake nonprofits can make with donation tax receipts is failing to include all of the required information. Doing so can lead to compliance issues, which may result in the loss of your nonprofit’s status if you are audited by the IRS. It also makes your receipts invalid for the donor, which makes your organization look amateurish at best and untrustworthy or fraudulent at worst.

Luckily, a quick audit of your donation receipt templates can fix this immediately. According to ThriftCart, the IRS requires nonprofit donation tax receipts to include:

• Your nonprofit’s name and EIN: Your receipt must include the full, legal name of your organization and your Employer Identification Number (EIN). These are the primary pieces of information the IRS uses to verify you are a registered 501(c)(3) organization that’s qualified to receive deductible contributions.

• Contribution amount or description: The receipt must clearly state the amount of a cash contribution. For in-kind gifts, it should include a detailed description of the donated goods or services, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

• Date of contribution: This helps donors determine the tax year for their deductions. It should be the date the donation was received or transferred to your organization’s control.

• Statement of goods and services: Generally, most nonprofits will state that their organization did not provide goods or services in exchange for the donation on the receipt. However, in some cases, your nonprofit will need to disclose a description and good-faith estimate of the value of goods or services you provided in return for a contribution (more on this later, too). If your organization is religious in nature, you may include a statement that the goods or services you provided consisted only of intangible religious benefits.

Provide receipts that include all of these elements to maintain compliance with nonprofit regulations and enable donors to safely claim tax deductions for their contributions. If your organization provides a receipt with false information, you can be subject to IRS penalties. Make sure to comply with regulations to protect both your organization and its generous donors.

Using a One-Size-Fits-All Template

Although nonprofits most frequently receive cash gifts, they may also receive other types of contributions, such as in-kind donations and grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs). Some nonprofits, usually in an attempt to be efficient or due to a lack of capacity, will try to use the same donation template for every type of gift.

However, this practice can also lead to non-compliance. Many types of gifts have different IRS reporting requirements, and lumping them together means critical details can be missed.

To prevent any issues, make sure you customize your donation tax receipts for the following types of gifts:

• In-kind gifts: Chazin and Company defines in-kind donations as non-monetary gifts, such as goods and services. Donation receipts for in-kind gifts should not include a dollar value, as it is the donor's legal responsibility to value their in-kind gift, not the nonprofit's. Your job is to provide a detailed description of the gift. For instance, you might write “a large bag of assorted women’s clothing” on the receipt if the donor contributed that to your organization’s thrift store.

• Stock donations: Like with in-kind gifts, your stock donation receipt should not state a dollar value. Instead, the receipt should identify the gifted security and the number of shares, such as “100 shares of Microsoft Corp. (MSFT).” The gift date should reflect the date the shares were transferred to your organization's brokerage account.

• Cryptocurrency donations: Although a cryptocurrency donation is not the same as a stock donation, you should treat them identically. Your receipt must identify the type and amount of cryptocurrency and the date it was received in your organization's wallet.

• Donated services or time: Many nonprofits become confused on this point, as volunteering or professional services done for free on behalf of a nonprofit are often referred to as donations. However, according to the IRS, the value of donated time or services is not tax-deductible. While you should send a thank-you message to show gratitude, you should not issue a donation tax receipt.

• Quid pro quo gifts: At times, donors will receive something in return for their gift, such as a meal, a t-shirt, or event tickets. In these situations, your donation tax receipt should include a good-faith estimate of the Fair Market Value (FMV) of the items or services the donor received. The donor’s deductible amount then becomes the total of what they paid minus the FMV.

If your nonprofit frequently receives these types of donations, it’s valuable to create templates for them. For instance, a nonprofit that runs a thrift store may create a dedicated template for in-kind gifts. Then, when they receive an in-kind gift, they can use their inventory management tool to generate a receipt for the donor right then and there.

Sending Receipts Late (or Not at All)

Imagine you make a $50 gift to a nonprofit. You wait a few days, but you hear nothing back. You might feel unappreciated or even resentful. When you receive a summary of your gift the next year as you prepare to file your taxes, you might have even forgotten that you made a gift at all.

Late donation receipts create anxiety for the donor and communicate that your organization is not very appreciative of their gift. To avoid this situation, send your donation receipts within 48 hours of receiving a gift. This provides the donor with a prompt expression of gratitude and peace of mind. If a donor makes multiple gifts to your nonprofit within a calendar year, continue to follow this best practice so they know that your organization has received all of their gifts.

At the beginning of the following year, send a summary of all the gifts the donor made the year before. This summary helps the donor claim their tax deductions as they begin filing their taxes and provides another touchpoint that keeps your nonprofit top-of-mind. You’ll be building up your brand as a trustworthy partner that appreciates every contribution.

To help with this process, you may invest in software that automatically sends out receipts for every gift. Most nonprofits will use their donor management system or fundraising software to handle that for them. However, nonprofits that accept in-kind gifts or that operate stores may find that their point of sale (POS) system can also help with that responsibility.

Treating the Receipt as Only a Tax Form

A donation receipt isn’t just something you send to fulfill a compliance checkbox. It’s also a prime opportunity to say a sincere “thank you” and emphasize the impact of the gift, reinforcing and strengthening your donor relationships.

Here are a few tips for incorporating gratitude into your tax receipt:

• Use warm, sincere language to express your gratitude for the gift.

• Discuss how the gift will assist with your nonprofit’s mission and what it will be put toward.

• Add your branding to your tax receipt so donors will feel confident that it’s from your organization.

• Include a human touch, such as a signature from a board member, to show that the real people behind your organization are thankful.

Think of your receipt as a valuable marketing message. What do you want the donor to take away from it? How can you inspire a deeper connection with your mission? 

A great receipt can even be a gateway to the next point of engagement. For instance, you might add a QR code to the bottom of an emailed donor receipt that links to a 60-second impact video, a blog post about a recent success story, or an invitation to follow your organization on social media. 

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Preventing the most common donation receipt mistakes and improving your processes is simple. Review your current receipting processes, not just the templates. Look at the systems you use, the language you include, and the timeliness of your delivery. An accurate tax receipt protects your organization, but a thoughtful and timely one builds a relationship, turning a one-time donor into a long-term, loyal supporter.

How to Incorporate Donor Cultivation into Fundraising Plans

Guest post by Aly Sterling

Put yourself in a prospect’s shoes. Suppose you were to receive a donation request immediately after subscribing to a nonprofit’s newsletter for the first time. You’d probably be alarmed at the organization’s audacity and reconsider engaging with it.

As Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s donor stewardship guide explains, “Before you can jump into requesting a donation from a prospective donor, your nonprofit needs to form the basic building blocks for a long-term relationship. This will make the transition to a donation request much smoother and more relevant.”

This guide will explore how to build donor cultivation into your nonprofit’s fundraising plan so you can initiate relationships with prospects that lay the groundwork for future monetary giving.

1. Educate prospects about your mission.

Before new prospects even think about giving, they want to understand what your organization is all about. Help them explore your nonprofit and its cause by:

• Sending them educational materials. Compile content that welcomes prospects to your organization and familiarizes them with your mission. These materials may include a synopsis of your nonprofit’s history, a blog post emphasizing why your cause is so important, and a news article explaining your mission's relevance to current events.

• Sharing beneficiary videos. With your beneficiaries’ permission, film them sharing their stories and how your organization has helped them. This form of user-generated content (UGC) allows you to convey your mission authentically and demonstrate your impact.

• Hosting workshops. Invite prospects to attend virtual or in-person workshops explaining your core programs and projects. Allow them to ask questions about how your organization operates and how they can get involved.

Once prospects better understand your nonprofit’s work, they’ll get an idea of how they’d like to lend their support and start to picture themselves as part of your organization’s community.

2. Segment prospects.

As you get to know prospects, gather and record pertinent information about them. Using this data, segment prospects based on similar characteristics so you can personalize communications and connect with them on a deeper level.

For example, you may group prospects by:

• Giving capacity with groups for potential small, mid-level and major donors

• History with your organization, segmented by length or area of involvement

• Demographics like age and location

• Motivation or interests as they relate to your mission

• Communication preferences, such as phone, email or direct mail

Update these segments in your nonprofit’s CRM as you learn more about new prospects. If you want to expand your knowledge of prospects further and target them even more precisely, consider conducting a data append. For example, enriching your database may allow you to access key lifestyle information, such as other charities your prospects support, so you understand the other causes they’re passionate about.

3. Develop personalized communications.

Personalization shows you care about prospects as individuals and offers insight into the treatment and acknowledgment they can expect if they become donors. Additionally, it ensures that the messages you send to prospects resonate, making them more likely to take action.

Use the information you’ve gathered to customize messages following these tips:

• Greet prospects by name. Consider the subject lines “Learn more about our nonprofit!” and “Elliot, explore how you can get involved!” While both essentially convey the same information, incorporating the prospect’s name adds a personal touch that may entice them to open and engage with your message. Use your CRM’s automation tools to insert prospect names into messages for efficient customization.

• Reference past interactions. Just as you feel understood when a friend brings up something you did or mentioned in the past, the same goes for your prospects. Referencing past interactions shows you listen to prospects and want to develop strong relationships with them. For example, you may ask a prospect how they felt about an event they attended last week or how their recent vacation went.

• Focus on their interests. Your nonprofit likely covers various different initiatives and programs. Find out what prospects are passionate about and put those at the forefront of your messaging. For instance, send prospects interested in your disaster relief efforts case studies of beneficiaries you’ve helped through that programming.

• Leverage their preferred communication channels. Following prospects’ communication preferences shows you’re attentive to their needs. Let them know they can change their preferences or opt out of communications altogether at any time.

Assess how prospects respond to your personalization efforts by tracking engagement metrics like open and click-through rates. Consider surveying prospects to understand how you can further tailor your messaging to their interests and needs.

4. Offer nonmonetary engagement opportunities.

There are various ways prospects can get involved before donating. Ensure they’re aware of all the nonmonetary engagement opportunities available to them, including:

• Volunteering. Let prospects know about different volunteer roles and how they can participate. Additionally, many prospects may not know they can help your nonprofit earn money just by volunteering. According to Double the Donation, 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grants, which are funds employers contribute to the organizations their employees volunteer with. Encourage prospects to check their volunteer grant eligibility and apply for this funding to help your nonprofit without reaching into their own pockets yet.

• Advocacy. Prospects especially passionate about your cause may be interested in advocacy work. Equip them with resources like templates and brand guidelines so they can communicate about your mission according to your guidelines. You may also send them relevant petitions they can share and invite them to canvass your community.

• Events. Events allow you to meet with prospects face-to-face and introduce them to your community. Consider hosting facility tours, open houses, networking events, and panels that help prospects become more deeply ingrained in your cause.

Offering nonmonetary engagement opportunities not only helps you engage prospects but also retain current supporters. Donors will appreciate the ability to help your cause between donations so they can make a larger impact without contributing more financially.

Engaging Students: 6 Innovative School Fundraising Events

Guest post by ABC Fundraising

According to ABC Fundraising, 80% of parents who model philanthropic behavior see their children mirror these habits. To inspire the next generation of givers, the adults in their lives need to do their part—and that doesn’t have to stop at home.

School is where students learn about math, science, history, and language arts, but it’s also where they learn important life skills. By planning and hosting fundraising events your students will enjoy, you can get them excited about giving back and earn more for your school at the same time.

In this guide, we’ll review several school fundraising event ideas to engage your students and boost revenue. Remember to adapt these ideas to your school’s unique student body as needed. Let’s get started!

1. Color Run

A color run is a twist on traditional school fundraising ideas like fun runs and walkathons. Instead of simply collecting pledges and running or walking to support your school, color runs involve volunteers throwing colored powder on participants as they complete the route.

To host a successful color run, keep the following tips in mind:

• Find a suitable outdoor space. Look for an open park or field where you can host your color run. Alternatively, you can host the event on school grounds if you have ample space.

• Gather the necessary supplies. Perhaps the most important element of a color run is the color itself. Purchase non-toxic, environmentally friendly color powder, or make your own using cornstarch, water, and food dye. Additionally, stock up on water, bib numbers, and first aid supplies.

• Tell participants to wear white. To make the colors pop, participants should wear white during the color run. You may even create and hand out white t-shirts with your school and event name for a personal touch.

Make your color run even more fun with some live entertainment. Consider hiring a DJ or even just playing family-friendly music to create an exciting atmosphere.

2. Carnival

Spring is the perfect time of year to host a school carnival fundraiser. The nice weather will encourage students and their families to join the fun and support your school.

Make your carnival extra engaging by incorporating:

• Games. Classic carnival games like ring toss, balloon darts, and basketball shooting are sure to be crowd-pleasers for students and parents alike.

• Activities. Get younger students excited about your carnival with bounce houses, face painting, and craft stations.

• Snacks. Serve all the best carnival delights, including cotton candy, popcorn, funnel cakes, and snow cones.

• Sponsors with giveaways. Local businesses could want a booth to demonstrate community spirit and distribute their own products, gift cards, or coupons.

To make your carnival a success, you’ll need a solid team of volunteers to check people in and run each booth. Whether your volunteers are older students, teachers, or parents, remember to thank them for their hard work and dedication to your fundraising event.

3. Talent Show

A talent show allows students to showcase their passions and become directly involved in hosting your fundraising event. Prepare for the big day by:

• Holding auditions. While you don’t necessarily need to reject any acts from your show, holding auditions encourages students to take the show seriously and allows you to make sure each act is school-appropriate.

• Selling tickets. The main fundraising aspect of your talent show will come from selling tickets to friends, family, and community members. Use online invitation software along with your typical communication channels to share event details and include a ticket sales link.

• Having a practice run. Familiarize students with your show order and the feeling of getting on stage in front of an audience. A practice run or rehearsal is also an ideal opportunity for testing out any equipment you’ll use during your talent show, such as microphones and speakers.

Remind students they don’t have to have a traditional talent like singing or playing an instrument to participate in your talent show. Encourage everyone interested to sign up and show off their skills.

4. Read-a-thon

Incentivize students to read and earn more for your school with a read-a-thon. During a read-a-thon, students collect pledges from friends and family and earn donations based on how many pages they read or how much time they spend reading.

Try out these tips to make your read-a-thon more engaging for students:

• Host a kick-off event. Get students excited about your read-a-thon by celebrating the beginning of your fundraiser with a party. Offer cozy spots for students to read, announce your fundraising goal, and invite local authors to speak and sign books.

• Incentivize participation. Besides earning donations for your school, provide further incentives for students to participate. You may offer individual prizes for students who read the most pages or use team prizes to inspire friendly competition between classes or grades.

• Hold a book drive. Take this opportunity to collect in-kind donations of new and gently used books, either for your own classrooms or for children in need. Explain to students the importance of sustainability and donating items you no longer use instead of discarding them.

Provide reading logs or digital trackers to help students keep track of the number of books and pages they read. That way, they can more easily collect pledges and measure their progress.

5. Restaurant Proceeds Night

A restaurant proceeds night (an evening where a restaurant donates a percentage of its proceeds to your school) presents a win-win-win opportunity for everyone involved. Students and families get a delicious meal, local restaurants receive more business, and your school earns more revenue.

This type of fundraiser can also be the beginning of an impactful partnership between your school and the restaurant that increases the return on investment (ROI) for both parties. For instance, they may be willing to sponsor or donate to future fundraising events in exchange for promoting their business.

To facilitate these partnerships, Double the Donation’s corporate sponsorship guide recommends working with businesses that share your values and believe in your cause. Consider having a partnership discussion before working with a particular business or scouring their website to see the types of organizations they typically support.

6. Movie Night

Looking for a low-cost yet inclusive and engaging school fundraising event? Look no further than a movie night.

All you need to host a successful movie night is:

• A movie. Choose a movie that’s family-friendly but also appealing to students of all ages. Survey your student body so they can vote on their top choices. Don’t forget to first secure a license for a public showing, as this may also influence your selection.

• A place to show your movie. You may host your movie night in your school auditorium, a classroom, outside on school grounds, at a local park, or a movie theater, depending on your resources and turnout.

• A TV or projector. If you’re hosting the movie night at your school or a park, you’ll need a TV or projector to show the movie to everyone.

Hosting concurrent fundraising ideas can create an even more immersive experience and raise more for your cause. For example, a concurrent fundraiser that aligns with the theater theme would be selling popcorn at your movie night. From traditional movie theater butter to sweet kettle corn, the possibilities are endless.

Building a Brand: 5 Tips to Stand Out Online in 2025

Guest post by Allison Manley of Kanopi Studios

With 68% of nonprofits redesigning their web presences in the past three years, bold branding is becoming increasingly essential. In a crowded digital space, the nonprofits that stand out combine strategy, storytelling, and sleek design to create a cohesive brand experience that resonates.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to leverage technology, smart design choices, and AI-informed messaging—plus best practices from real examples in Kanopi’s roundup of the best nonprofit websites—to create a brand that captures attention and builds trust.

1. Clarify your brand’s identity.

A compelling branding strategy starts with clarity. Before further engaging with your nonprofit, potential supporters must first determine whether your organization looks like one they would trust. A well-articulated identity helps audiences immediately grasp who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

Expert Tips

• Define your unique selling proposition (USP). What truly sets your nonprofit apart? Highlight the unique aspects of your mission that help make your organization successful. For example, perhaps you’re not just an animal shelter—you’re an animal rescue that trains service animals to support wounded veterans.

• Strive for authenticity. Your tone, imagery, and messaging should reflect who you are, what you do, and why. Your website should feature stories, photos, and videos of the people who power your mission, including beneficiaries, volunteers, staff, and leaders. 

• Reaffirm your mission and values across all touchpoints, from your site header to donor thank-you emails. To emphasize your visual identity, use a consistent tagline, logo, and colors.

Real Example: Girls Who Code

• This website highlights the nonprofit’s unique mission: closing the gender gap in tech through educational programming.

• The nonprofit uses a consistent brand identity across all channels, with bold, youth-oriented visuals and empowering language.

• The homepage copy and navigation reinforce the mission and invite users to get involved, with clear user pathways for students, program alums, and partners.

2. Showcase your mission through strong visuals.

Thoughtful imagery, layout, and data visualizations convey impact more powerfully than words alone. Studies have shown that blog articles with images receive 94% more views than those without, while videos on landing pages can increase conversion rates by 80%.

Expert Tips

• Use original, high-quality photography throughout your website featuring real staff, volunteers, and program participants. Avoid stock photos because they can make your site feel generic or inauthentic. If you do need to use stock photos at any time, make sure you find diverse images that reflect the demographics of your beneficiaries and donors. 

• Integrate real stories into visual design elements. Provide photo captions and descriptive alt text, include quotes alongside testimonials, and share video clips throughout blog posts to expand the audience’s understanding of different topics. 

• Create data visualizations, such as charts, maps, and infographics, to help audiences understand impact information quickly.

Real Example: CARE

• This site incorporates emotionally resonant, real-world photos, bringing attention to humanitarian crises.

• The blog features storytelling-focused posts about individuals and families directly served by programs.

• Simple infographics display the percentage of funding that goes directly to mission-critical services.

3. Optimize your brand presence for large language models (LLMs).

AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI-generated search summaries increasingly influence how donors and partners discover your brand. To ensure your brand shows up accurately and frequently in these tools, you need to understand how to speak their language. It’s all about understanding how these solutions view your brand and making small tweaks to improve their comprehension.

Expert Tips

• Audit your brand story. Is your brand story or bio accurate, up-to-date, and aligned across your site, blog, social media, and press mentions? If not, search engines and LLMs could have a difficult time defining what your organization is all about. Take the time to clarify your brand’s story and ensure it’s uniformly told across platforms. 

• Ask ChatGPT to describe your nonprofit. What comes up? Are those your words or someone else’s? Evaluate whether your brand is being defined on your terms. To increase brand awareness and foster an accurate depiction of your nonprofit, partner with other organizations in the sector to conduct cross-marketing opportunities. These could include cross-blogging, partnering with other nonprofits to host webinars, and co-hosting branded events with other organizations. 

• Monitor your SEO keywords and whether your brand appears in AI-generated overviews for those terms. Is your content featured in key information relevant to your highest priority keywords? For example, is your educational blog post targeting the phrase “how to fight climate change in 2025” being referenced for key information, like suggestions for individual or corporate actions? If not, revisit your SEO strategy to ensure your website contains highly valuable and educational content targeting keywords that are most relevant to your mission. 

Real Example: Feeding America

• This organization dominates AI search and LLM responses for hunger-relief topics.

• The Feeding America website is executing a phenomenal SEO strategy. It has a high domain authority of 78 (which denotes that the organization is credible) and on-site content that ranks for over 30,000 keywords.

• The nonprofit offers a consistent brand story and messaging hierarchy across all platforms, including Facebook and YouTube.

4. Establish thought leadership and credibility.

Thought leadership turns your brand into a trusted authority. For nonprofits, that means elevating internal experts and making their insights accessible to your audience.

Expert Tips

• Create detailed bios for your staff subject matter experts (SMEs) and link their names to published content. Consider assigning different staff members to cover various topics based on their expertise. For example, a staff member who is a former lawyer could cover legal issues for your blog.

• Partner with other industry blogs to see if they’ll share content written by your SMEs on their blog, and vice versa. These partnerships can help you get your brand name and thought leadership out to a broader audience.

• Share expert insights in webinars, Q&As, and newsletters, and repurpose that content on your site via downloadable resources or blog posts. This content establishes your brand as a trustworthy source for need-to-know information.

Real Example: Best Friends Animal Society

• Julie Castle's Blog offers unique insights directly from the nonprofit’s Chief Executive Officer. The blog establishes Julie as a thought leader in the animal welfare space.

• Their website features detailed bios for the organization’s founders and leaders. Visitors can learn more about each individual’s experience and expertise.

• Credibility badges demonstrate the organization’s reliability and trustworthiness.

5. Actively engage with your online audience.

Two-way engagement creates a more responsive, human-centered brand experience. Focus your messaging on your organization’s beneficiaries, donors, and volunteers to show them the crucial role they play in keeping your mission alive.

Expert Tips

• Respond to social media comments and messages promptly and authentically. Don’t use automated replies or commenting tools—take the time to engage with your audience genuinely to build trust.

• Personalize CTAs based on user behavior. For example, serve donation CTAs to recurring givers and volunteering CTAs to users who frequently visit your volunteer calendar.

• Use email and web forms to gather input. Ask questions about how your audience members view your brand and ways you could enhance it to gain a deeper understanding. Publicly acknowledge supporters’ feedback and outline your plans for implementing it promptly.

Real Example: Dana Farber Cancer Institute

• The organization has an active Facebook presence, typically posting about once a day, sharing event information pages and fundraisers.

• Audience-tailored CTAs improve navigation, making it simple for visitors to find information specific to their needs. This CTA strategy is especially crucial for healthcare web development because users often feel overwhelmed or stressed and want to access the need-to-know information as quickly as possible.

• Multiple ways to give so supporters can choose the method that fits their philanthropic goals and giving capacity.

Wrapping Up

To stand out in 2025, your brand must be authentic, memorable, and easy to engage with across digital platforms. If you need more support, partner with a nonprofit web designer to enhance your brand’s digital presence and evolve it in a scalable, strategic way.

Keep your mission and values at the core of your branding decisions, and you’ll build a clear, consistent identity that engages supporters and reinforces long-term trust.

Are School and Charity Events the Next Influencer Frontier for CPG Brands?

A CPG Marketer’s Guide to Product Sampling at School & Charity Events

When you think of influencer marketing, TikTok stars or Instagram creators probably come to mind. But for CPG marketers looking for grassroots credibility, deeper community penetration, and trusted exposure, school fundraisers and local charity events are emerging as overlooked—yet powerful—platforms for product sampling and brand influence. These events provide a blend of built-in credibility, product placement, and authentic word-of-mouth opportunities—if approached strategically.

Here’s what you need to know before diving in.

The Pros: Why It Works

1. Built-in Trust and Engagement

Local schools and nonprofit organizations hold an enviable position in communities—they’re trusted, respected, and supported by passionate parents, volunteers, and donors. When your brand shows up as a supporter of their event, you're seen as a community ally, not just an advertiser.

2. High-Intent, Niche Audiences

Charity galas, school carnivals, golf tournaments, and silent auctions attract targeted groups—like families with disposable income, young professionals, or community-minded consumers. You can align with causes and demographics that match your ideal customer profile.

3. Tangible, Interactive Sampling Opportunities

Unlike digital ads, event participation enables hands-on brand experiences. Whether it's product placement in VIP bags, samples at check-in tables, or prizes in raffles, your product gets directly into the hands of potential customers, often at a moment of high goodwill.

4. Cost-Effective Exposure

Compared to traditional influencer fees, booth fees, or paid media, donating product or providing in-kind sponsorships can stretch your marketing dollar further while still earning logo placement, shoutouts, and prime event visibility.

5. Organic Word-of-Mouth Buzz

A good cause, free samples, and happy attendees? That’s a recipe for people talking. Whether it’s a parent sharing on their Facebook page or a PTA posting a recap with photos, your brand can benefit from real-world endorsements that feel authentic and earned.

Things to Consider (and How to Make Them Work for You)

1. Audience Size May Be Limited—but Highly Engaged
While individual events may not attract thousands, the depth of engagement can’t be ignored. To scale reach, participate in multiple events or use platforms that help you reach a broader network of target events efficiently.

2. Event Branding Can Vary—So Provide Assets
You may encounter inconsistent design quality or promotional standards. Offset this by supplying easy-to-use logo files, product photos, signage templates, and simple brand messaging to ensure clear, consistent presentation.

3. ROI Tracking Isn’t Always Automatic—But It’s Possible
Attribution can be tricky with in-person events—but there are workarounds. Use QR codes, custom landing pages, and event-specific promo codes. Handing out branded coupons with a call-to-action (e.g., “Save 20% online this week”) is another smart way to tie event exposure to actual sales. You can also assign unique codes per event to measure performance more accurately.

4. Product Fit Matters—Make It Easy to Love
Not all events will allow your team to distribute in person, so choose products that are simple to use or sample with minimal explanation. Include a quick usage tip or a small insert with a discount or follow-up message. The goal is to make the experience seamless and delightful.

5. Manual Coordination Can Be Time-Consuming—So Streamline It
Screening product donation requests one by one can become overwhelming. Consider using a centralized platform—like SamplingForGood by DonationMatch—that automates vetting, filtering by attendee demographics, communication, and tracking so you can scale brand activations with less effort.

Final Thoughts

If your CPG brand values real connection, meaningful sampling, and showing up in your customers’ everyday lives, school and charity events are worth a closer look. These gatherings may not be glamorous, but they’re packed with influence, trust, and untapped win-win marketing potential.

With the right strategy and systems in place, they’re not just community service—they’re smart business.

How to Maximize Your Event’s ROI with Strategic Sponsorships

Guest post by Bloomerang

Event planning can be one of the most engaging and exciting parts of your nonprofit’s year, or it can be a source of worry and stress. There’s an element of unpredictability and uncertainty to events. Will you have enough attendees? Will it improve member retention? Will it inspire people to donate, or will it raise the awareness your cause needs? 

Your nonprofit can take steps to mitigate some of this stress and maximize your event’s potential return on investment (ROI) through pursuing sponsorships. A strategic sponsorship can be one of the most rewarding and supportive partnerships that your nonprofit has. These guidelines will help you make the most of your connection with your sponsor and strengthen the impact of your event.

Identify and clarify your event plans and the value proposition

Corporate sponsorships are a valuable addition to any nonprofit’s toolbox because they offer wide-ranging benefits for your organization, your sponsor’s business goals, and your community. In order to make the most of this opportunity, it’s important to identify your event’s needs and the value proposition for the sponsor ahead of time. 

Your Event Plans

You don’t need to finalize every detail of your event before you start reaching out to sponsors, but your team should aim to have a broad outline in place. Sketching out a general plan will help you identify the right sponsors to approach and ensure you ask for the specific support or resources you need.

Some questions that you should answer before you start talking to potential sponsors are: 

• What is our timeline for this event?

• What are the largest expenses we anticipate during this process?

• What role will volunteers play in our event?

• What in-kind donations would be most helpful for this event?

• Do we have the right event management tools in place?

• What is the focus of this event, and what businesses would be most interested in our cause?

Having a basic idea of the event as a whole will allow you to target your outreach to the right potential sponsors with a clear ask.

Your Value Proposition

Before you reach out to a potential sponsor, you need to put yourself in their shoes and understand what partnering with you will mean for them. Though more and more businesses are interested in doing good work for the sake of doing good, they still need to consider the costs and benefits of their decisions before making any commitments. 

Build a compelling case for supporting your nonprofit by thinking through how their sponsorship of your event will help their business thrive. Selling points may include advertising opportunities on any merchandise or swag, the opportunity for face-to-face time with potential customers at the event, or even the tax benefits of a donation. 

Sponsors will appreciate that you’ve done your homework about their business and that you’re considerate of their needs.

Keep everything in writing

The process of acquiring corporate sponsorships can and should include face-to-face, personalized meetings. However, your team should also track every touchpoint with the sponsor in a centralized location, like your CRM, and follow up in writing after each interaction.

This attention to detail has two important benefits: 

• Everyone on your team knows where the relationship with the sponsor is. If someone is on vacation or takes a sick day, another team member can make sure that you don’t miss any follow-ups or accidentally make a repeat ask of the sponsor. This will help keep the relationship stress-free and make sure the sponsor feels like their efforts are important to your nonprofit.

• By completing all follow-ups in writing, your nonprofit and the sponsor are always on the same page regarding expectations and agreements. While it may feel overly formal, it’s vital to your long-term relationship to manage expectations on both sides so that the event goes off without a hitch and no one feels as though promises were broken or results were not delivered. 

When you know exactly what forms of support your sponsors are willing and able to provide, you can direct your nonprofit’s existing resources to other areas. 

Apply donor stewardship best practices to your sponsors

Your strategic sponsors are a critical part of ensuring that your event provides as much value for your nonprofit as possible. By repurposing your donor stewardship practices for your sponsors, you’ll ensure they feel appreciated and included through the event planning process. 

The following tips can help you keep your sponsors engaged and potentially deepen their involvement with your event: 

• Start with a positive first impression by showing sponsors you’ve done your background research and making them feel welcome at your organization’s offices or headquarters. 

• Maintain a structured communication cadence, with regular check-in calls and emails. 

• Prove that you’re using their support as promised by delivering ongoing updates before, during, and after your event. 

• Use software to keep track of touchpoints and responses to maintain continuity in sponsor interactions. 

• Ask for feedback and incorporate your partners’ insights into your next event planning process. 

• Create personalized moments for sponsors, such as special shout-outs during your event or a handwritten letter from a beneficiary after your event wraps up. 

Bloomerang’s donor stewardship guide also recommends incorporating corporate partners into your nonprofit’s overarching community. Show them that you value their partnership long after your event wraps up by sharing ongoing mission updates or reaching out during special times of the year, like the anniversary of their business’s founding.  

By integrating stewardship through the event planning process rather than leaving it for the end, you can deepen sponsors’ engagement and keep the relationship healthy.

Plan for a long-term partnership

Corporate sponsorships are amazing for improving event ROI because they take some of the burden of planning and funding off of your nonprofit, but their impact can be much farther-reaching than just one day. When you create a relationship with a sponsor, consider how you can turn that relationship into a long-term partnership that benefits you both.

Though your nonprofit’s immediate need is support with the event, include your sponsor in discussions about the future and see if you can find other common areas for collaboration. They could become a recurring donor in exchange for visibility on your website or other public outlets. Their staff could become part of your nonprofit’s volunteer strategy. Their CEO might even consider joining your board, if you have an opening!

This is an opportunity for your nonprofit to ask for feedback from the sponsor as well. How would they like to remain involved? How do they envision the future of the relationship with your nonprofit? Keeping open lines of communication will help you maintain the relationship and drive value for you both in the future. 

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With corporate sponsorships, your nonprofit can maximize the ROI of your events and focus more on what matters: your mission. Use Bloomerang’s free ROI calculator to keep tabs on your event results and find new ways to adjust your approach for better outcomes. Stay curious and creative, and you might find new avenues of support in the most unlikely of places. 

4 Ways to Curb Event Planning Chaos with Digital Waivers

Guest post by Smartwaiver

Plenty of nonprofits find success with events. In 2024, 75% of the organizations that hosted in-person events met or exceeded their goals, with 76% of hybrid events reaching their targets. 

However, planning a successful event requires your nonprofit to manage logistics, ensure compliance, track participation, and more—all these moving parts can quickly become chaotic. Tools like event CRMs and specialized event planning tools will reduce friction, but digitizing the entire event planning process will have the biggest positive impact.

In particular, digital waivers are a powerful but often overlooked solution that helps streamline event planning and provide better experiences for your staff, volunteers, and event attendees. This article explores the key benefits of creating and using waivers as well as practical, proven ways digital waivers can reduce headaches and streamline event logistics.

Why Add Digital Waivers to Your Event Toolkit?

The benefits of using digital event waivers are twofold: they protect your nonprofit from legal liability and boost efficiency. 

When attendees sign waivers, they are acknowledging the risks associated with the event and releasing your organization from liability if something happens. Typically, every guest needs to sign a waiver if your event warrants one. By handling the whole process digitally, you can collect necessary participant information quickly and securely without needing to wrangle clipboards or decipher illegible handwriting.

But how do you know if your event needs a waiver? Here are some common scenarios where nonprofits benefit from using digital waivers:

• Physical activities like fun runs or fitness challenges

• Volunteer shifts involving tools, heavy lifting, or other minor risks (e.g., a volunteer working with animals at an adoption event fundraiser for an animal shelter)

• Youth programs requiring parental consent

• Events involving photography, video, or other media recordings that require a signed photo release

• Vendor or partner participation agreements

Keep in mind that not all digital waiver platforms are created equal, and some solutions won’t have everything you need to make your event a success. Smartwaiver’s guide to activity waivers emphasizes the importance of highly customizable form-building tools that allow you to add signature and initial boxes, flagged questions, and safety or training videos. The waivers should also work on any device, securely store data, and integrate with your other event management tools.

4 Ways Digital Waivers Streamline Event Planning

1. Go Paperless

Traditionally, event planning involved piles of physical documents—waiver forms, checklists, contact sheets, and schedules. While most organizations have moved away from this method and now rely on event planning technology, using digital waivers is a key step in transitioning your entire planning process into a fully paperless, cloud-based system.

By digitizing waivers, your nonprofit can:

• Eliminate printing costs and reach your sustainability goals.

• Save staff time and reallocate the hours that would be spent printing and filing forms toward strategic or mission-critical activities. 

• Manage everything from one platform, making collaboration between departments faster and more transparent.

Digital waivers fit seamlessly into your broader event and communications strategies. For example, you can make registration easy for participants by linking to the digital waiver in social media posts promoting the event. 

2. Simplify Record-Keeping and Reporting

Waivers are a treasure trove of valuable first-party data, or information collected directly from your supporters. This includes personal information like name and birthday, contact information, event participation and history, and even communication preferences. By choosing to use digital waivers, you can export clean data sets directly from the platform to your donor database rather than manually input information from stacks of paper.

Here’s how this data can come in handy throughout the event planning process:

• Before the event:

• Analyze past data to proactively address common issues, estimate attendance rate, etc.

• Automatically send reminders to registrants who have not completed the waiver

• Follow up on waivers that contain errors or incomplete information.

• During the event:

• Quickly pull participant data as needed (e.g., allergies or other medical information).

• Use waiver responses to anticipate capacity and efficiently allocate staff.

• After the event:

• Easily export attendance data and signed waivers.

• Generate follow-up lists for thank-yous, surveys, or future event invitations.

• Analyze participation trends to inform planning for your next event.

The result is a faster, more organized workflow that gives you time back to focus on your mission. Plus, you can avoid siloed or fragmented data by storing all event metrics, from waivers to marketing data to donated inventory information, digitally.

3. Accommodate Last-Minute Changes

Even the best-laid event plans can shift unexpectedly. Weather changes, volunteer no-shows, or updated health protocols can require fast adjustments. Digital waivers give you flexibility in the face of the unexpected.

For example, say it’s a day before the event. Your marketing team asks if you can add a quick survey to the end of the waiver asking how participants heard about the event, helping them accurately track the success of individual communication channels. With digital waivers, this is simple—all you need to do is add the question to the digital form, and it will automatically be updated.

Being able to revise waivers in real-time without having to reprint forms means no more last-minute scrambles and event planning headaches. Participants can re-sign updated versions instantly from their devices, keeping everyone informed and protected.

4. Streamline Registration and Check-In

Modern event planning tools allow nonprofits to automate repetitive, manual tasks that would otherwise cost them hours of their valuable time. As Double the Donation explains, automation benefits both organizations and donors by freeing up time for nonprofit staff to connect with supporters, answer questions, solve problems, and work on mission-focused tasks.

Digital waivers can be smoothly integrated into your existing automated workflows, functioning as a self-service registration tool for event attendees. Participants can register, complete the waiver, and submit the forms all without your staff lifting a finger. Then, signed waivers are automatically stored in a secure database.

Best of all, attendees can complete these steps online ahead of the event, cutting down on check-in desk congestion (and guest frustration). Share links to the waiver in digital communications and embed the form on your website. However, make sure you have a plan or alternative for those who don’t complete the waiver in advance. For example, set up waiver kiosk stations by using a waiver solution with a mobile app for tablets. This way, you’ll still be able to collect day-of waivers digitally and save time and paper.

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Digital waivers are a strategic tool your nonprofit can leverage to streamline operations, protect your organization, and create smoother experiences for participants. By choosing the right platform and integrating it into your event planning process, you can reduce stress, inspire more attendees to contribute to your cause, and focus on supporting and spreading awareness of your mission.

Engaging Your Board Members in Your Capital Campaign: 7 Tips

Guest post by Capital Campaign Pro

When you’re heading into a capital campaign, it’s natural to focus on donor strategy, naming opportunities, and goal setting. But there’s one group of stakeholders who can make or break your campaign long before you go public: your board.

The good news is that you don’t need a board packed with millionaires to be successful. The 2024–2025 Capital Campaign Benchmark Study from Capital Campaign Pro found that board giving only makes up an average of 15% of total campaign goals. 

But what this stat doesn’t show is how powerful your board can be in shaping momentum, credibility, and access to other major donors.

So, how do you truly engage your board in a way that goes beyond lip service or check-writing? Here are seven tips that can move your campaign forward by getting your board aligned, activated, and excited.

1. Keep your board in the loop from the start.

If you want your board to be strong campaign partners, they need to be looped in from the beginning, not at the point when you’re asking for approval or feedback on materials. “Starting early” means the board understands that a capital campaign is coming, is aligned with its goals, and is committed to supporting the staff who will be doing the heavy lifting.

This support can show up in a few critical ways:

• Approving a realistic budget that allows for campaign staffing and outside support

• Backing the decision to bring on consultants, even before gifts come in

• Encouraging participation on campaign committees

• Giving staff the time and flexibility to focus on campaign planning and execution

• Understanding that campaigns are marathons, not sprints, and that the board’s role is to champion the staff along the way

The sooner your board embraces its role as supporters (not just funders or overseers), the smoother your campaign will go.

2. Set expectations and be clear.

Most boards want to be helpful. What they don’t want is confusion. The more direct you are about what support from them should look like, the better.

Define your board’s role within the campaign, and put it in writing. This might include giving a personally meaningful gift, helping identify major donor prospects, hosting a cultivation event, or participating in thank-you calls. It could also include attending campaign briefings, offering feedback on communications, or joining a campaign committee.

Once you’ve clarified what you need from your board, communicate often. Review expectations at board meetings, include them in campaign updates, and make it easy for board members to follow through with specific steps and deadlines.

Avoid vague asks like “help spread the word” or “get involved.” Make it real and actionable.

3. Play to your board’s strengths.

Not every board member has deep pockets. And that’s completely fine. Financial gifts are just one of many contributions your board can make and are arguably the least important.

The most successful campaigns lean into board members' individual strengths. One person might be a master networker. Another might be a persuasive speaker. Someone else might be organized and willing to help with campaign logistics.

Here are a few practical ways your board can support the campaign beyond giving:

• Host a donor briefing in their home or office

• Make personal thank-you calls to early campaign donors

• Invite a potential lead donor to lunch with the campaign chair

• Offer industry expertise if the campaign involves construction or programming

• Participate in feasibility study interviews

If you’re not sure where to start, try a quick self-assessment. Ask each board member what roles they feel most comfortable in. Use that feedback to tailor your requests.

4. Provide the right tools and training.

Your board probably includes people with very different levels of fundraising experience. Some may have served on development committees, while others have never made a fundraising ask in their life.

Level the playing field by offering just-in-time support. Many consultancies that you might hire to help with your campaign will likely provide training for your staff, volunteers, and board. In fact, this should be a requirement of your agency search. 

Be on the lookout for trainings geared around board member roles and responsibilities, solicitation trainings, and other board-specific topics.

Trainings don’t have to just be formal exercises. Informal exercises like role-plays during regularly-scheduled board meetings can, for example, can help build confidence. Keep the tone light and encouraging. These sessions can be short; even 20 minutes at the start of a board meeting can go a long way.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s familiarity. And familiarity builds consistency.

5. Involve your board in donor strategy.

When you’re thinking about donor cultivation, don't overlook the role your board can play in building relationships.

Some board members may be able to make introductions to major prospects. Others might be willing to join you on or lead feasibility study interviews with longtime supporters, for example.

You don’t need the whole board involved in every donor conversation. But a few strategically selected members can be incredibly helpful in deepening relationships and lending weight to your campaign.

6. Make your campaign personal and celebrate involvement.

Acknowledgment fuels engagement. If a board member hosts an event, brings in a new donor, or volunteers for a campaign-related task, take time to recognize them. Publicly and privately.

This doesn’t require fancy awards or plaques. A handwritten note, a shoutout at a board meeting, or a thank-you email from your executive director goes a long way.

When you hit a campaign milestone, bring the board together to celebrate. Show them how their involvement contributed to progress. Share stories, photos, and numbers that demonstrate traction.

The more people feel like their effort matters, the more they’ll give.

7. Keep the communication flowing.

Campaigns aren’t quick. They unfold over 2-3 years in most cases. Without clear and consistent communication, board members may feel out of the loop or unsure about what’s happening.

Don’t rely on quarterly meetings alone to keep people engaged. Instead, build a rhythm of updates that keeps everyone informed and energized.

Here are a few options:

• Include a campaign report at every board meeting

• Send a monthly update email with campaign progress and next steps

• Highlight a board member in each newsletter

• Create a simple dashboard or infographic to track gifts secured, pending asks, and the percentage left toward your goal

Clear communication builds confidence. And confidence leads to more active participation.

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Board engagement is not about pushing everyone into the same mold. It's about understanding your board members as individuals and creating opportunities that feel right for them. When board members are given clear expectations, meaningful roles, and consistent encouragement, they tend to show up and stay engaged.

You don’t need a wealthy board to succeed. What you need is a board that’s informed, connected to the mission, and ready to do its part.

If that foundation is strong, the rest of your campaign can grow from there.

Succession Planning for PTOs: How to Pass the Baton Smoothly

By Renee Zau, Co-founder of DonationMatch

Each year, Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs and similar groups, such as PTAs, PTSAs, HSAs, Boosters, Friends of, Clubs, Sororities, Fraternities, & Education Foundations) see new volunteers step up to lead. While this infusion of energy is exciting, it can also mean that valuable knowledge and access to critical tools and resources are at risk of being lost if there's no proper succession plan in place.

Too often, each year, we at DonationMatch encounter volunteers creating new accounts for an organization because the previous account wasn't handed off correctly. This results in unnecessary extra work and delays—particularly when it's difficult to verify new volunteers.

Succession planning, both online and offline, is essential for maintaining continuity, ensuring that communication, finances, and programming run smoothly during leadership transitions. It promotes efficiency by equipping new leaders with the tools and knowledge they need to be effective from day one. Additionally, it enhances security by safeguarding access to critical systems and protecting sensitive information.

To ensure your PTO continues running smoothly year after year, it’s essential to have a comprehensive plan for passing down information and access to digital and financial assets. Here are some simple tips and a handy checklist of what to pass on to the next team.

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What to include in a PTO Succession Plan:

✅ 1. Organizational Knowledge

• Bylaws and meeting minutes

• Year-at-a-glance calendar of events

• Volunteer and committee structure

• Annual reports or summaries

• Notes or tips from outgoing officers, including any unofficial duties or helpful habits

• Receipts or lists of key assets and equipment in storage

• Event vendor lists and lessons learned from past events

✅ 2. Financial Records

• Annual budgets and financial reports

• Bank account access info (or instructions for authorized access change)

• Tax ID number and nonprofit status documentation, including the next due dates of annual filings

• State registration information, including the next due dates of state filings and payments

• Previous year’s fundraising totals and expenses

• Payment processor login (e.g., PayPal, Square, Stripe)

• Receipts, invoices, and reimbursement forms

• Contact info for accountants or bookkeepers

✅ 3. Digital Accounts & Logins

Create a shared and secure master document or password manager (like LastPass, 1Password, or Google Password Manager) that includes:

• Website admin login and hosting provider credentials

• PTO email account(s) and recovery options

• Social media logins (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

• Fundraising platforms (e.g., MemberHub, Cheddar Up)

• Payment processing platforms (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)

• School key employee directory or contact management tools

• Google Drive/OneDrive login and key document links

✅ 4. Communication Channels

• Access to email marketing tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact)

• Contact lists for families, volunteers, and staff

• Access to asset creation tools (e.g., Canva)

• Templates for newsletters, flyers, and event invitations

• Key email threads and communication history with school admins

✅ 5. Partner & Sponsor Information

• List of past and current sponsors/donors

• Contact info and notes on relationships (who to contact, when, and how)

• Past donation request letters and thank-you templates

• In-kind donation details and restrictions

• DonationMatch, Benevity, and other corporate giving platform logins

✅ 6. Software & Tools

Make sure new leaders have access to:

• PTO management software (e.g., MemberHub, PTOffice, Konstella)

• Event registration/ticketing software (Eventbrite, SignupGenius)

• Fundraising platforms and tools

• Survey tools (Google Forms, SurveyMonkey)

• Document storage/sharing tools (Google Drive, Dropbox)

✅ 7. Legal & Compliance

• Insurance policy documents and renewal dates

• State nonprofit registration documents (e.g. Articles of Incorporation, Secretary of State, State Attorney General’s Office, Franchise Tax Board, etc.)

• IRS Letter of Determination, filings, and tax return copies (Form 990)

• Background check policy and vendor details, if applicable

✅ 8. ORGANIZATION-SPECIFIC DETAILS TO PASS DOWN

Every PTO is unique, and some of the most valuable knowledge isn't written down—it's passed on. Be sure to include the following often-overlooked details to help the next team avoid starting from scratch:

• Event schedules, timelines, and planning checklists specific to your school’s traditions

• Preferred vendors and suppliers, including where to buy materials, school merchandise, or food—plus any known discounts or tax-exempt processes

• Expert or pro bono volunteers in your community (e.g., graphic designers, photographers, accountants) who’ve supported the PTO in the past

• Facility usage info, like how to reserve the gym, cafeteria, or parking lot for events

• Contacts and relationships with school staff, custodians, and local businesses that support events or donate regularly

• Tech quirks and workarounds for commonly used platforms or school-specific systems

• Storage locations, keys, and access info for physical supplies, decorations, or inventory used year-to-year

• Annual event feedback or notes to capture what worked and what didn’t

Capturing and sharing these insider tips can save the new team hours of guesswork and keep your PTO running smoothly.

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for a Smooth Transition,

• Schedule an overlap period or transition meeting between outgoing and incoming officers.

• Conduct a walkthrough of each system or tool being transferred.

• Set up role-based email addresses (e.g., president@ourPTO.org) that can be easily forwarded or reassigned to new officers each year.

• Update PTO contact information and addresses on all accounts.

• Host a shared-drive cleanup and organization session.

• Encourage outgoing leaders to write "how-to" guides for their roles.

• Store all documentation in one centralized, easily accessible place.

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Succession planning may not be the most glamorous part of volunteering, but it’s one of the most important. Taking the time to organize your organization’s knowledge and tools ensures that next year’s volunteers—and the students and school you serve—are set up for success.

By using this checklist and making intentional plans, you can build a lasting legacy of strong leadership and effective support.

Don’t forget to share this list with your board and team!

4 Smart Strategies to Prevent School Fundraising Fatigue

Guest post by Read-a-Thon

Your school is constantly looking for new ways to improve student education. Whether you’re upgrading classroom technology or expanding your library, it’s easy to get excited about all of the new benefits your students will be able to enjoy. However, to secure the necessary funding to carry out these improvements, you need to spread this excitement to the rest of your school community.

Students, their families, and teachers may care deeply about your school’s success, but over time, they may become overwhelmed or burned out by all of your fundraising activities.

Fortunately, school fundraising fatigue is only a possibility—not an eventuality.

By adjusting your approach and taking proactive steps to engage your community, your school can maintain enthusiasm from one fundraiser to the next. Let’s explore four strategies that will set you up for success.

1. Vary and space out your fundraisers

Imagine this: A family member invites you and several other guests to an escape room to celebrate their birthday. You all have a blast finding clues and solving the puzzles together, raving about the experience long after it ends. However, next year’s birthday celebration is at the same escape room. The year after that? The same escape room. While you’re happy to spend time with your family, you’re tired of completing the same puzzles over and over again.

Fundraising is no different. If you host an identical event every year, the novelty will wear off, and engagement will decline.

Instead, stay on the lookout for interesting new ideas to incorporate into your calendar, such as:

• Auctions

• Talent shows

• Trivia nights

• Costume contests

• Sports tournaments

• Petting zoos

If your school organizes a highly popular fundraising event every year, this doesn’t mean you have to put an end to it. Let’s say that you host a Read-A-Thon every March to celebrate Read Across America, and your community loves rallying to support student literacy. Simply add an engaging theme to bring something new to each event. For example, one year, you could choose a “Time Travel” theme and challenge students to read stories set in the past or future.

2. Incorporate easy, passive fundraising

Your students, teachers, donors, and volunteers likely don’t live and breathe school fundraising—and that’s perfectly understandable! Sometimes, busy schedules and other priorities make it challenging for them to fully engage in your fundraising efforts.

Through low-pressure, passive fundraising options, you make it easy for your community to show their support without sacrificing a bunch of time and energy. Some easy and popular ideas to consider include:

• Online shopping fundraisers. Students and their families already shop for groceries, household items, and more. An online shopping fundraiser provides an effortless way for them to support your school while doing so. Sign up with an online shopping platform and encourage families to download the browser extension or app. Whenever they purchase from a participating retailer, you’ll automatically receive a portion of the sales.

• eCards. Find an eCard platform and create various designs for birthday greetings, holiday wishes, thank-you messages, and graduation celebrations. You can then embed them on your school website for community members to purchase and send to one another throughout the year. 

• Matching gifts. According to Double the Donation, companies donate $2-3 billion to nonprofits and schools annually through matching gift programs. When eligible employees donate to your school, their company will match that donation at a 1:1 ratio or higher. These programs double the impact of donations without asking donors to give more.

• Online merchandise sales. Boost school spirit by designing branded t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more to sell online. This way, community members can support your school and receive a high-quality product in return! You can even engage students in the design process by having them submit and vote on artwork that you can print on your merchandise.

Plus, you can keep all of these fundraisers open year-round to build consistent, low-effort revenue streams for your school’s initiatives and projects.

3. Use stories to illustrate the impact of donations

Whether you’re setting up an online crowdfunding campaign or planning a field day, it takes more than an interesting fundraising concept to keep donors engaged and convince those who are on the fence to get involved.

When you purchase something for yourself, you expect to receive a product in exchange for your money. Your school’s donors may not expect to gain anything in return, but they do expect something. Rather than watching their donation simply disappear, they want to see it make an actual difference to students. With this in mind, remember to focus on the impact of donations in your marketing materials and post-fundraiser follow-ups.

For example, if you’re hosting a library fundraiser to expand your book collection, you might share the story of a student who struggled with low self-esteem and academic performance after switching schools. Through spending more time in the library, they discovered a love for reading that inspired them to study harder and helped them bond with fellow book lovers. You could point out that as donors help you update your library collection, you can appeal to more diverse reading interests and help more students find a sense of belonging at school.

Obtain permission from students and their guardians before sharing specific names, images, or details to respect their comfort and privacy.

4. Motivate students with fundraising prizes

Sometimes, students need an extra incentive to actively participate in your fundraiser and rally support from their friends and family. To add a sense of excitement and friendly competition to your next fundraiser, award prizes to students or classes that raise the most money.

Read-A-Thon’s list of school fundraiser prizes covers some of the most popular ideas for students, including:

• School supplies

• Homework passes

• Extended recess

• Class parties

• School spirit items

• Pie a teacher

When you first announce your school’s fundraiser, explain how you’ll award prizes to the top-performing students or classes that participate. Then, in marketing messages and social media posts, gradually reveal prizes to build anticipation and shout out the students or classes that are closest to winning them. By incorporating a variety of prizes into each fundraiser you organize, you ensure that there is always something new that excites your students!

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Whenever you wrap up a fundraiser, remember to thank everyone who contributed—from students to donors to volunteers. Taking the time to express your sincere appreciation can go a long way toward reinforcing and maintaining the support your school receives.
And, if you suspect that people are succumbing to fundraising fatigue, don’t be afraid to ask for their input. Send out a survey to learn how you can better align your fundraising strategy with your community’s needs, expectations, preferences, and interests. By staying tuned into how engagement rises and falls, you can continually make adjustments so that each fundraiser is better than the last!

4Creative Fundraising Strategies for Animal Shelters

Guest post by Gingr

The ASPCA estimates that roughly 6.3 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters annually in the U.S. As an animal shelter manager yourself, you know how overwhelming it can be to keep up with the intake of new animals, offer them quality care, and adopt them out to loving forever families. Your shelter may be overcrowded, understaffed, and underfunded more often than not. 

However, fundraising can alleviate some of these challenges by providing your shelter with much-needed resources from animal lovers willing to help. As Gingr’s guide to pet industry trends highlights, Americans spent more than $147 billion on their pets in 2023—and that number is expected to grow. What can your shelter do to carve out a place in their budgets?

Take advantage of this growing industry with these creative fundraising strategies that will help you reach potential donors and inspire them to give.

Organize fun, relaxing events

A survey conducted by the American Heart Association found that 95% of pet owners rely on their animals for stress relief. Help your supporters soothe away the stress from upcoming exams, a rough week at work, or a hectic move across town by organizing calm events with your shelter’s animals!

Have supporters pay to attend events such as:

• Puppy or cat yoga: Hire or partner with a yoga instructor to lead the class and let the cats or dogs roam freely. Pets may curl up on the yoga mats for a nap or perch on attendees as they flow through a cat-cow sequence or push up into a downward-facing dog. Not only will your supporters get some relaxing movement, but they’ll also be surrounded by adorable, adoptable animals.

• Cat cafe: Convert a room in your facilities into a cat cafe for an afternoon (or long-term if you have the space) and allow attendees to book time slots. Offer drinks and snacks and allow people to work, study, or just hang out with the adoptable cats in the cafe.

• Kitten and puppy cuddle sessions: These sessions allow you to socialize your kittens and puppies, secure funding, and relieve stress all in one. They are the perfect event for worn-out college students, frazzled new parents, and anyone else who needs a quiet moment with a fuzzy baby animal.

If you can, consider holding these events weekly or monthly. In addition to helping you raise money, they’ll serve as informal adoption events that allow supporters to bond one-on-one with your animals.

Start a Pet of the Month subscription program

Recurring or monthly giving programs are an excellent way to secure reliable revenue and foster deeper relationships with supporters. Supporters simply agree to donate a fixed amount each month, meaning your shelter doesn’t have to put in hours of work for each donation.

Get creative with your recurring giving program to keep supporters engaged. Frame it as a monthly subscription through which they sponsor a specific pet or pets in need. Depending on the size of your program, you might:

• Select one high-needs animal per month for your recurring donors to support. For example, perhaps you take in an injured dog in need of extensive veterinary care. If you pick that dog as the pet of the month, all of your monthly donors’ contributions will go toward that dog’s surgery, medication, and rehabilitation.

• Select multiple “pets of the month” and allow members to sign up for a specific pet they’d like to sponsor. Each pet might have two to three spots donors can claim. This keeps donors looking forward to each new month and eager to know about their animal’s progress.

Provide regular updates to your monthly donors to show them the impact of their contributions. Highlight the specific medications, care, toys, or bedding that their support provided, and share photos and videos of the animal’s progress.

Additionally, strive to attract new recurring donors by marketing these services across digital marketing channels. During the busy spring season, for instance, you might post photos of new mother cats and their litter of kittens on social media, urging followers to sign up for the program and sponsor them.

Work with local businesses

Local businesses and corporations in your area may be interested in partnering with your shelter for  corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. CSR is the concept that companies should consider their social, economic, and environmental impacts and strive to better their communities.

By forming relationships with these companies or simply spreading awareness of corporate philanthropy, your shelter could enjoy the benefits of CSR programs like:

• Matching gifts: When an employee donates to a charitable cause, like your shelter, their employer will match their donation. Matches are typically offered at a 1:1 ratio, meaning that a $50 donation could become $100 without any added expense for the donor.

• Volunteer grants: Companies may also make financial contributions to the organizations employees volunteer with frequently. Spread awareness of these programs to your volunteers, help them track their hours, and encourage them to seek volunteer grants from their employers.

• Corporate sponsorships: The company partners with your nonprofit to support specific campaigns or events. For instance, a local running store may sponsor your charity 5K in exchange for featuring their logo on event signage.

• In-kind donations: These non-financial contributions may include items, equipment, or pro bono services (e.g., a dog groomer providing free baths, haircuts, and nail trims to your shelter’s dogs).

Additionally, CSR programs may incentivize volunteering by offering volunteer time off (VTO). Similar to paid time off (PTO), VTO is time off reserved specifically for volunteering—in other words, employees can spend the time they would normally be working volunteering at your shelter. As Double the Donation’s guide to VTO explains, taking advantage of these programs provides a larger pool of support, opens the door to long-term partnerships, and allows you to devote more time and resources toward mission-critical work.

Hold percentage-of-sales donation day fundraisers at pet businesses

Speaking of local businesses, consider pairing up with a pet business like a dog daycare or kennel, pet groomer, dog training, or pet store to hold a percentage-day (or week, month, etc.) fundraiser. These businesses share a core value with your shelter—a deep passion for animals and their well-being. 

During the fundraiser, a portion of the store's proceeds will be donated to your shelter. For the best results, your shelter and the pet business should jointly promote the campaign in advance, encouraging supporters to patronize the business while the campaign is in effect. When pitching this idea to local businesses, let them know what is in it for them—increased foot traffic, higher sales, and maybe even new customers!

To maximize these campaigns’ impact, you could also incorporate a donation drive. Put out a bin at the business to collect in-kind donations, adding a sign with your logo. Ask staff at the pet business to encourage customers to donate. Ensure you get the items you need most by auditing your nonprofit’s current inventory and creating a wish list.

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It’s no secret that people are passionate about animals. These fundraisers could attract first-time donors to your shelter who are primed to become long-term, loyal supporters—as long as you cultivate relationships with them. Be sure to thank them for their support with personalized, donor-centric thank-you messages, share regular updates about your shelter, and recommend other ways to support your cause.

7 Simple Steps to Running a Successful TapKat Sweepstakes Fundraiser

Guest post by TapKat, a DonationMatch Partner

As a nonprofit leader, you know how important it is to keep your initiatives funded so your organization can continue doing the good work that you do. Running a TapKat sweepstakes is one of the most effective ways to keep money flowing into your organization on an ongoing basis throughout the year, and fortunately, it’s not rocket science!

**A quick note on the legal classification of sweepstakes fundraisers for nonprofits: Unlike raffles, sweepstakes are not classified as "gaming” or gambling because there is an "alternate method of entry" (AMoE), i.e., someone can enter your sweepstakes for free, and TapKat takes care of this process for you. Typically, the vast majority of entrants make a donation to enter and AMoE entries amount to a very small percentage of the total sweepstakes entries. Since sweepstakes fundraisers are not classified as gaming there are no requirements for a state gaming license or quarterly reporting, making this a simpler, more straightforward fundraising experience.

Check out these seven steps to running a successful fundraising sweepstakes for your nonprofit.

Step 1: Set Your TapKat Sweepstakes Goal

Every fundraising effort should be created with a specific goal in mind, and sweepstakes fundraisers are no different. The best goals are realistic and take into account the size of your nonprofit, how active your donor base is, and how long you will run your sweepstakes.

Here are some examples of great goals to set: 

Set a goal for how much money you want to raise. The key to setting an attainable fundraising goal is to consider the size of your nonprofit, the duration of your sweepstakes, and how active your donors are currently.

If your nonprofit is just getting started, consider setting an attainable yet meaningful goal. On the other hand, if you have an active and large base, and are planning on running your sweepstakes for 3-5 months, maybe $100,000 is a good goal, like the Colorado Music Festival, which just raised $116,800 with a Taylor Swift Eras Tour experience as a prize.

Set a goal for how many donors you want to add to your database. 99% of TapKat sweepstakes bring in new donors — it would be difficult not to add new donors to your database!  Sweepstakes are naturally so exciting that people love to share them through word of mouth, intentional promotion on social media, advertisements, and email channels. However, if you know that your primary objective in running a sweepstakes is to attract new donors to your list, make it specific: How many new donors do you want to add to your list? Who are these people? Through which promotional channels will you reach them? 

One of our nonprofits, The Shelby American Collection, started their first sweepstakes with around 800 donors on their mailing list. Nine years and ten sweepstakes later, their list now exceeds 65,000 names! That list is gold, and it’s a major reason why they have continued to be so successful at raising money every year with their TapKat sweepstakes.

Set a goal for re-engaging lapsed donors, or energizing members. Some nonprofits, like The New Jersey Audubon, are membership organizations that advertise their sweepstakes strictly to their members. Their goals are more about invigorating the current membership base, and less about adding new people to their list. That’s great, too! A sweepstakes is a very effective tool for energizing a membership base. 

Your goals will inform much of the decision-making around your TapKat sweepstakes. Which prize you choose, where and how you promote the sweepstakes, the duration of your sweepstakes, and more.

Step 2: Understand Your TapKat Sweepstakes Audience

Who, exactly, are you trying to reach with your sweepstakes, and where do they hang out? It’s fun to think about the types of people who you want to add to your donor database!

This step is important because it will help you select the right prize for the audience you want to build. For example…

Maybe you run an outdoor motorsport adventure nonprofit and your donors love rugged offroad vehicles. It might make sense to offer a prize like a dirtbike, teardrop trailer, or 4x4 that's geared toward outdoorsy types.

• The Desert Roads and Trails Society recently raised $29,600 with a Rock Buggy — perfect for their demographic of outdoor motorsport enthusiasts!

Suppose your nonprofit focuses on supporting communities in a certain area of the world, and your donors are passionate about revitalizing specific regions. How about something travel-related, like a bucket-list trip to Bali, Africa, or historic Europe? 

• The Good Work Foundation recently raised $30,450 with a luxury African escape for 2, including a safari experience. The prize specifically appealed to donors who care deeply about education efforts in South Africa. 

Say your nonprofit is a car museum that gets a lot of foot traffic and has a large base. You might decide to go big with a hot new sports car, or a classic vehicle.

• The Cobra Experience recently raised $961,275 with Carroll Shelby's personal Daytona Coupe. 

When you know your audience — and know the audience you want to attract — you can make good decisions about choosing a prize that your audience will find irresistible and raise significant funds for your organization.

Step 3: Select Your TapKat Sweepstakes Prize

Here comes the fun part! Successful TapKat sweepstakes prizes come in all shapes and sizes, but there are two main things to consider when selecting your prize: 

1. Your prize must be highly desirable, 

2. And it must appeal to the base you want to attract.

When we say a prize must be “highly desirable,” that doesn’t necessarily mean hugely expensive, although it can be. In the world of sweepstakes prizes, we’ve seen nonprofits give away camper vans (like the Robin's Home Veteran Services), hot new Corvettes (like the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum), concert experiences (like the Dear Jack Foundation), and even Taylor Swift-themed racing helmets (like Women in Motor Sports North America). 

All of these prizes were perfect for the nonprofits because they met the needs of the organization and appealed to their donor base.

We’ve written extensively on choosing the right prize for your TapKat sweepstakes. Read more about it here.

Step 4: Use Consignment to Get Your Sweepstakes Prize

Chances are, the perfect prize for your nonprofit sweepstakes won’t be one that is conveniently donated (but if it is, perfect – go with it!) 

The whole point of a sweepstakes fundraiser is to raise money, so buying an expensive prize up front makes no sense — that puts you in the hole before the fundraiser even begins. Instead, we recommend sourcing your sweepstakes prize on consignment, which eliminates any kind of risk from your fundraiser.

When a prize is on consignment, it means that your nonprofit isn’t obligated to purchase the prize until you have raised the money to pay for it. If you don’t raise enough money to cover the cost of the prize, your TapKat sweepstakes will award a cash prize instead. The winner gets a big fat check at the end (no one has ever complained about that!)

Curious about how to get a prize on consignment? Check out this blog post for more insight.

Step 5: Launch Your TapKat Sweepstakes!

Once you’ve secured your prize, it’s time to launch your sweepstakes site. This is easy to do on the TapKat platform. Once you’ve applied for an account and been approved, you’ll be walked through a series of steps to create your TapKat sweepstakes website. It will include: 

1. Uploading photos of your prize, 

2. Entering descriptive text of your prize, 

3. Uploading photos and text about your nonprofit so people can see where their donations are going.

In all, the process should take under an hour. When you’ve uploaded everything and feel happy with it, it’s go time! 

Step 6: Promote Your TapKat Sweepstakes Fundraiser

Once your site is live, it’s time to share it with the world! We recommend focusing on a few important promotional outlets to get started, though once you start marketing, you are likely to find other channels through which you can share your sweepstakes: 

1. Add your sweepstakes to the homepage of your nonprofit website. 

2. Share your sweepstakes fundraiser with your donor base on a regular basis through email marketing. 

3. Post regularly on social media channels, inviting your followers to enter. 

4. If you have any live events coming up, look for ways to encourage attendees to enter the sweepstakes. 

5. Ask your sponsors and corporate partners to spread the news, as well!

The more people that know about your sweepstakes, the more money you will raise — so do everything you can to get the word out. You’ll be building your donor list along the way, as well! 

Step 7: Draw Your TapKat Sweepstakes Winner

Seven days after your sweepstakes closes, it’s time to draw your winner. This is easy to do on the TapKat platform: We have created a built-in random number generator that will select the winning number for you. Plus TapKat automatically creates a fun “draw the winner presentation” video that you can share on social media on the big day. 

So, there you have it! Seven simple steps to running a successful fundraising sweepstakes. Throughout the process, remember to have fun! The more fun you have with your sweepstakes, the more fun your donors will have!

If you’d like to learn more about TapKat sweepstakes, please click here. If you’re ready to schedule a demo with one of our team members, click here.