In 2020 only 36% of charities met their fundraising goals and, given the uncertainty our world was facing and the quick adaptability these organizations had to make, we’re really impressed by this number! And more importantly, since then we’ve continued to see that incredible pivot from charities. Nonprofits continue to hit their fundraising goals, and the number one reason that is leading to this success is virtual fundraising. 

Of these organizations that hit their goals, the ones that did really well included multiple fundraising elements. Beyond selling tickets to their event, they encouraged pre-event donations (with clear examples of where funds go), they ran an online silent auction, and they even included a virtual fund-a-need and live auction! In fact, charities that used three or more fundraising elements on the Trellis platform raised 50% more than charities that used two or less. 

As you think about your organization, what can you learn from this? Our key takeaway moving forward is donors want options! They love giving, and offering different ways that they can give makes it easier! In a study our team recently conducted, we asked our donors exactly how they like to give. The results surprised us, as donors said in 2021 and 2022 they are planning on giving mostly virtually, although some preferred in-person ways to give. In the graph below, you can see how donors responded for each of the key fundraising elements charities are using. As you think about your upcoming fundraisers, what can you do to engage and meet your donors where they are? How can you incorporate new in-person and virtual fundraising options that give donors new ways to give? 

In our study, not only did we review donors giving preferences, but we looked at the Future of Fundraising Events as a whole. Taking hundreds of insights collected from fundraising professionals, industry experts, and donors we uncovered insights that have since helped charities make informed decisions about their upcoming fundraising events. 

In our upcoming webinar with CharityVillage on July 15th, Rebecca, a Fundraising Specialist from Trellis.org will be unpacking the results found in the report, and sharing new tools and event types modern charities are using to succeed in a post-pandemic world. Register here.

Answering questions like We know virtual giving will be key for 2021 and 2022, but what about beyond? What does this mean for the future of your fundraising events? Will virtual events disappear in a post-COVID world? Or will these virtual elements stick around? This is a session you don’t want to miss. 

Meet our speaker. 

Rebecca Alfred, has supported hundreds of organizations throughout her time at Trellis Social Enterprise Inc. Whether it’s a virtual, in-person or hybrid fundraising event, Rebecca has seen it all. She has supported signature events going virtual for the first time helping them to create engaging experiences for donors that allow them to increase giving and interaction online. Throughout these experiences, Rebecca has learnt what it takes to run a successful fundraiser and in the upcoming webinar, she’ll be sharing these insights and learnings with you. 

Fundraising events are transforming and to stay ahead and raise more, organizations must plan for what their donors are expecting. In Rebecca’s webinar, she’ll dive into the four event types modern charities are planning from in-person all the way to virtual. 

Register for the upcoming webinar on July 15th here.