GuideStar lists at least 17 different categories of nonprofit organizations that serve thousands of different populations and causes. Despite this vast landscape, one thing that the large majority of these nonprofits have in common – from Higher Education and Independent Schools to Healthcare Systems and Hospitals, Arts and Culture to Faith-Based Organizations, and many more – is that events are staples of annual fundraising programs.
The strategy behind fundraising events is two-fold; surely to secure immediate giving and also build community and shared experiences that keep donors engaged for years to come (aka retention).
To properly execute an event-based fundraising strategy it takes a well-thought-out process, talented fundraisers and staff who know how to organize and "work the room," compelling impact stories, multiple avenues of in-event giving opportunities, and meticulous follow-up to secure gifts. We’ve seen huge strides in technology to improve donor experience and organizational efficiency before, during, and after an event. Many turn to Givzey to provide an edge on event-based fundraising that didn't exist before.
Here are two scenarios in which nonprofit organizations use Givzey to produce amazing results for their fundraising events.
Automated Pledge Confirmations & Reminders
We're all familiar with using events to demonstrate impact and secure pledges from donors. Many organizations use paper pledge cards to document a donor's intent to give, which they collect before a donor leaves the event.
While a stack of pledge cards – physical or digital – is a sign of a successful event, the problem is that it creates a glut of processes on the backend for Advancement Operations. And, unfortunately, as time passes running lists and sending manual reminders, more and more of those pledge cards result in unfulfilled gifts.
Nonprofit organizations use Givzey to change this dynamic. Organizations can bulk upload all pledges into Givzey, where gift intentions can be confirmed if needed, and automated pledge reminders gently nudge donors to fulfill their gift – directly and immediately via email. This means there's no need for direct mail campaigns that get lost with junk mail, call campaigns that go unanswered, or growing lists of pledges that must be written down.
One organization recently used Givzey to bulk upload and send $200,000 worth of pledge commitments and reminders to donors in just 30 minutes. What usually took the better part of a year took less than an hour to begin collecting gifts. For a small but mighty team, the value of this efficiency alone is incredible – not to mention what it will do for their fulfillment rate.
Confirm Pledges On The Spot
Some organizations are securing gifts faster by skipping pledge cards and forms altogether. Because Givzey is a Digital Gift Agreement Platform, fundraisers and staff are able to create pledge agreements in seconds on any device as they work the room.
As fundraisers connect with donors and prospects at events, they can quickly send a pledge agreement for a donor to click and confirm, on the spot, in the moment. The power of this is important for a few reasons.
For the donor, the experience is professional, discreet, and easy. The agreement is already personalized for them and their gift intentions, requiring nothing more than a click to confirm, and perhaps most importantly, they walk away with a digital confirmation receipt in their inbox.
From the organization's perspective, the donor already has a timestamped receipt of pledge confirmation, as well as all of their options to complete payment waiting for them in their inbox. This opens the door for post-event communications from the organization and the appropriate fundraiser to move immediately into stewardship and relationship-building.
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