These days, the option to donate needs to be as accessible and convenient as possible. The more strenuous the process - the less likely nonprofits can drive the funds they need to succeed.
One solution for this is by using online fundraising platforms. With less manpower, overheads and clicks to donate - it really can make the world of difference when trying to make positive change!
Recently, there has been a surge in the number of fundraising sites available. But what ones are the best? To help you make the right choice, we’ve listed our top 5 recommendations.
The Benefits of Fundraising Sites
But first, let’s dive into why these platforms are so handy and helpful for nonprofits.
With a specialist fundraising site, you can expect plenty of added extras that will make your life a lot easier. These include the likes of:
Customer/technical support
Zero-to-low fees
Performance analytics
Mobile responsiveness
Easy donations with less clicks
Website and social media integration
Such platforms can significantly benefit nonprofits, its donors and also its beneficiaries. They create an opportune space for nonprofits to post their mission and build a narrative for their donors to respond to in a quick and easy way. Without using these platforms, it would be a sorely missed opportunity for the cause as a whole.
Our Top 5 Fundraising Platforms
Each different in their own right, here are our 5 best fundraising platforms for you to consider:
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a reputable fundraising website that specialises particularly in crowdfunding. Through its platform, people can raise money for a range of reasons - from personal, to business, to charitable causes.
While this platform is widely known, it offers both big and small teams the opportunity to set up fundraising campaigns quickly and easily. It also offers a ‘donate anywhere’ button integration to allow for seamless payments to take place - making it a strong contender for those who want to maximise their chances of raising money.
It boasts lots of other positives too, such as:
Easy setup
Automatic delivery of funds
Zero fee
Team fundraising so you can split responsibility
Social sharing
Free access to fundraising resources
JustGiving
Since it was founded in 2000, JustGiving has helped people in almost every single country in the world raise over £4.4 billion for good causes. It was one of the first platforms to be created for fundraising online, and remains one of the largest with 22 million users worldwide.
It offers some fantastic features, such as:
Multiple account users
‘Donate’ button integration on your website and Facebook page
Fitness integrations by linking tracking apps such as Strava
QR code creation
Fundraising ideas
However, there are three different types of subscription plans for charities to join JustGiving. Newcomers can join a starter plan with no monthly subscription fee. For those who want access to more tools, they can join the grower plan. This plan can be divided into two - one with a £15 (+VAT) monthly charge for charities who raise up to £15,000 a year. The other incurs a £39 (+VAT) monthly charge for charities who raise over £15,000 a year.
For both of these plans, there are no joining fees and no annual commitment.
Facebook Fundraising
Facebook has its own dedicated fundraising feature, which allows nonprofits to harness the power of social media in order to boost donations.
The platform offers seamless navigation that is similar to its existing pages - making it easy for both organisers and donors. Using Facebook Fundraising, you can:
Raise and donate money
Browse categories (e.g. arts and culture, animals, crisis relief)
Utilise Facebook’s own fundraising Help Centre
Track activity
See what causes are trending on Facebook
Donations are made directly via Facebook or through PayPal Giving Fund.
In addition, you can also make use of the following features offered by Facebook Fundraising:
Donate button: a quick way for people to donate without leaving Facebook
Page fundraisers: a convenient page dedicated to your cause
Fundraiser stickers: to donate via Facebook Stories
Live video donate: add a donate button to live videos on Facebook
Givey
Givey is a fundraising platform mainly for smaller charities, with a focus on social giving. It chose this niche as smaller charities actually make up 95% of the sector. Yet 90% of donations go to larger charities. This platform seeks to level the playing field, by helping smaller organisations to reach a like-minded supporter base.
It lets supporters donate to UK-based charities through social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Vimeo.
Localgiving
Localgiving is a fundraising platform for charities, community groups, and non-profit companies. Organisations can receive one-time and monthly donations, raise funds for an unlimited number of projects and deliver crowdfunding campaigns. Individuals have the ability to set up fundraising pages for their favourite organisations.
It provides its members with small grants, regular match funds, fundraising competitions, free training opportunities and expert fundraising support. In 2020, Localgiving has provided over £2 million in extra funding for its members through grant programmes and match funding campaigns.
The membership fee is £80+VAT per year.
Choose a Fundraising Consultant
Another alternative route is hiring an experienced fundraising consultant who can guide you through the entire process.
A fundraising consultant can:
Provide expert insights and advice
Research potential supporters - whether these be major donors or the general public
Conduct feasibility studies
Create multiple strategies to suit your needs
And many more! At S3 Solutions, one of our specialist areas focuses on securing funds for third party and not-for-profit organisations. This includes helping with fundraising strategies, no matter how big or small the goal is.
For additional information on the best fundraising platforms and strategies, simply get in touch with the S3 Solutions team today.