Here's how you can expand your fundraising revenue streams for the future.

Remove as much friction as possible - once a donor decides to give, make the giving experience as easy and fluid as possible. Make sure your online form is mobile-enabled and is simple, collecting the basic information you need to process their gift. Remember that giving is an emotional moment and any time ‘logic’ gets inserted into the process (e.g. having to fill out a lot of information, creating logins and passwords, etc. etc. etc.) we run the risk of the user stepping away from the form. Above all make sure the follow up from the moment of giving is thorough, engaged, and not just a simple, automated receipt, but a true, honest statement of gratitude and engagement.

Crowd funding is often underestimated as a way to create a significant fundraising opportunity. Not only can you spotlight specific missions and features of your project, you can build a community around your values.

Start by analyzing your current funding sources and identifying potential gaps. Research and tap into emerging markets and industries that align with your goals. Develop new fundraising campaigns targeting different investor segments, such as individuals, corporate partners, and institutional investors. Utilize technology and digital platforms to reach a broader audience, including crowdfunding and online donation portals. Foster strong relationships with existing donors while continuously seeking new partnerships. Stay adaptable and innovative, regularly reassessing and refining your strategies to ensure long-term growth and sustainability.

Expanding fundraising revenue streams requires a multi-faceted approach. First, I focus on diversifying our donor base by targeting different demographics and regions. I leverage technology to create innovative fundraising campaigns, such as virtual events. Collaborating with different corporate partners and exploring grant opportunities further broadens the financial base. Additionally, implementing data-driven strategies helps a lot to understand donor behavior and tailor our outreach efforts effectively. Finally, nurturing relationships with existing donors ensures long-term support and sustainable growth.

It's crucial to have a seamless site for current and potential donors to donate to your cause. Your online giving platform should be mobile-friendly and provide ways to make multiple campaigns for your specific nonprofit initiatives. There are many wonderful options available, and some not so great, so make sure you read reviews and compare pricing/value before committing to a contract with a digital platform.

Building good relationships with donors is vital. This could be achieved by giving regular feedback and also giving donors recognition when needed. Donors are also positive when they see where their donation makes a difference. Always keep your donors updated and thank them regularly. Never take your donors for granted.

In my many years of nonprofit experience, I have learned that if you don't ask, you won't receive. Always ask, and you shall receive. Does your organization utilize volunteers? When I welcome volunteers, I always do a 10-minute opening where I share a brief overview of how our organization helps the community, then I provide opportunities for volunteers to engage in fundraising. I have everyone take a small flyer and pass it to the next person. On the flyer is a QR code to directly give to become a monthly donor. I explain the impact their monthly gift will make. Example: if all 15 of you in this room gave just $25 a month, you would feed XX amount of people this year.

When a corporate group reaches out to engage in any way, such as volunteering, hosting a donation drive, or making a one-time gift, it is so beneficial to reach out to the contact person and ask who that company's Corporate Social Responsibility or Community Relations person is. Ask if they will connect you to that person via email. Once you've made that connection, invite them to coffee or to come and tour your facility. Once they come, provide a folder with literature on ways their company can grow their engagement (include funding needs). I recently reached out to a credit union who made a $2,500 gift 6 months prior. I invited their community engagement person to tour our facility, which led to a $25,000 gift to our capital campaign!

Corporate partnerships are a fantastic way to expand fundraising revenue streams by providing authority to your voice among backers and customers.

Special events can provide direct funds via ticket costs or auctions. They also provide opportunities to connect with potential investors in-person and illustrate alignment of values and missions in your space.

Partnerships with other organizations that support your mission is a great way to build a relationship that includes recurring donations and support for your organization. This guarantees a set amount of money annually to help fund organizational operations.

When diversifying revenue streams, I've found it invaluable to use the charity's warmest, existing networks of governors/trustees, internal stakeholders, senior volunteers and other potential advocates. All of these are well-placed to make strong introductions to your organisation. I've also found that the people they introduce can be broader than fitting within set revenue streams. For example, an individual Major Donor may sit on the board of a Corporate, while also being a Foundation trustee. Building relationships with key decision-makers is vital before approaching them with a request to give. It's also more important than the specific means by which they will choose to support an organisation - this is a choice that sits with them.

By advertising and soliciting volunteering efforts/work openings from identified service providers (including freelance research work on development projects, humanitarian work, etc) and individuals who are favourably disposed to offering their expertise for free to support the cause, and recognizing their contributions as a reward system for the unpaid work they do for you and the value they add to your project. That way, you're able to leverage, not just their expertise, but also their goodwill, social assets, network base, etc, all of which can impact your fundraising efforts and outcomes substantially.

By exploring various fundraising strategies like online campaigns, corporate partnerships, grant writing, events, major donor relationships, and monthly giving programs, stakeholders can create multiple avenues for fundraising. This diversification helps ensure a stable and growing financial base for an organization in the future.

One of the challenges that people experience when they try to diversify their fundraising portfolio is jumping to areas that are divergent from what has gotten them to where they are! The best way to grow is to look for adjacent stream of funding! If you have done corporate then look to the adjacent stream of foundations where similar writing, cultivation skills etc will be useful. If you have only ever done small donors consider the adjacent stream of monthly giving. This allows you to build on your strengths without significant upfront investment. Over 2-3 years you can round out a whole portfolio of giving areas and de-risk your investment!