Blue Sky Collaborative's Viral Fundraising Blog

A Useful list of Dont's for your Year End Fundraising Appeal

Step by Step Fundraising has a lot of useful and actionable content for the nonprofit fundraising pro.

Here's a link to a top ten list of things NOT to do in your year end appeal.

http://stepbystepfundraising.com/top-10-ways-to-screw-up-your-year-end-fundraising-campaign/

Tips on Choosing Walkathon or Pledge Event Software

1. Beware of the do-it-yourself software vendors.  Essentially you pay them yet you end up doing all the work.  I can't tell you how many times people have called us to tell us about their awful experiences and countless hours spent to create a crappy fundraising site using an antiquated system.  They wished that those hours were spent on fundraising.  Remember, just because you pay less for something does not mean that you are getting the most for your money.
2. Avoid transaction fees.  Don't pay percentages on your online transactions to software companies.  They don't deserve a commission on the money that YOU and your supporters raised. 
3. Don't compromise your brand.  If you've spent hard earned money and time on your own web site, why would you send someone off to another site that does not look ar act anything like your own site?  Find a vendor who is interested in promoting your brand, not theirs.
4. Find software that fits your event not the other way around.  Since most walkathon software vendors offer inflexible systems, orgs are forced to change their events to fit the software.  Find a vendor that can accommodate the quirks and intricacies of your event without charging you an arm and a leg for it.  If you want to charge different registration fees based on age, gender, participation level or even lunar cycle, then you should be able to do it!
5. Take a long term approach.  Find a tool that you can use and re-use year after year.  Re-inventing the wheel every year is costly.
6. Get it over with.  Spend your time raising money!  Don't spend your time building or tinkering with a web site.  It's costly on many levels.

Updated links to Free Nonprofit Resources

Our site has undergone a slight redesign and we ended up moving things around.  Here are updated links to free materials that are downloaded frequently.

Press Release Template

This template gives you a general format for a press release. Insert your own information.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Silent Auction Bid Sheet Template

This template gives you a basic form that you can use to collect bids during your silent auction.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Pledge Event Donation Tracking Sheet

A template for tracking sheets to be used by pledge event participants to keep track of the donations they gather toward their effort.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

Event Thank You Letter Template

This template gives you a basic form letter that you can edit or paste into an email to thank people who attended your event.  http://www.blueskycollaborative.com/bscv2/Main/BSC/Resources/default.aspx

If you need something else just ask.  We probably have it in the archives somewhere.  Good luck and happy fundraising!