Internet Fundraising and How it Works

By Michelle Pearson

The internet opens up a whole new world of fundraising opportunities available to you and your organization. Most people are not aware of the resources available to them on the internet and how the internet can help them raise the funds they need for their organization. When utilizing the World Wide Web your group has many different options at their fingertips which can mean great profits for your group.
Below are a few different ways you can utilize the internet to help with your fundraiser:
1. You can contact a company of your choosing online and approach them about sharing proceeds with your group. Explain to them why you need the funds, how much you are hoping to raise and then discuss ways you can work together. They may be willing to send you some brochures, catalogs or flyers. Or you can make up your own flyers that include their name and say when you shop at “Store B” they will donate a percentage of all sales to your group. You can also include more than one company, but you would want to make sure they aren’t in direct competition with one another.

2. You can have a website built that explains your fundraiser in detail. You can include how they can help, why you need the money and how much money you are hoping to raise. After the website is in place, you can then direct people to it. The great thing about this option is now you can send your relatives and friends that live in a different state to your website so they can participate in your fundraiser. And just imagine how many other students will have friends and family from all over that can now participate in your fundraiser. Make up some flyers and start passing them out all over town, every where you go; this too will help make more people aware of your fundraiser. Be sure that there is a clear way for those out of town to order from or support the fundraiser on your website. You can also use a fundraising thermometer to visually track your progress on the site.

3. You can utilize an affiliate program to allow your group to shop online while providing you with a piece of the pie. A common affiliate program you can use is Amazon. They offer a lot of books, so you can push the educational angle of shopping with them and in addition, they offer about as many products as you would find in a local mall – making it easy for anyone to shop for normal everyday items with them. This also allows friends and family members who don't live locally to be able to support your school by making purchases online. You can become a detailed affiliate and build a site specifically for the affiliate program, or just place one link on your site for people to enter the affiliate site on and make a purchase.

Before deciding to do an Internet fundraiser for your school or group, you may want to get approval from the organization you plan to fundraise for before starting any such projects or advertising your fundraiser online.

About the author:
Michelle Pearson is a former fundraising coordinator who now spends her free time as a freelance writer for Fundraising Know How Magazine – a site dedicated to fundraising coordinators and helping them earn more for their organization. The site offers tips on cookie dough fundraising, school fundraisers, a free fundraising thermometer and more.


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