Online fundraisers are becoming more and more popular as a way to bring in money for schools and charities. But how exactly do you set up an online fundraiser? Do you have to be a computer wiz to do this? Thankfully, no you don’t! It is actually very easy to set up an online fundraiser… just follow these three steps and you can have one set up in 30 minutes or less.

1. Choose an Online Fundraiser

There are basically three types of online fundraisers: online shopping, donations and auctions. Explore the different options available and consider which one(s) are best for your group.

1. Online shopping sites give your group cash back, or a commission, when someone buys something from an online store. These are the easiest online fundraisers that you can run.
   1. Promo Fundraising - get cash just for trying offers (like Netflix)
   2. Online Magazines - earn 40% profit on every magazine sold
   3. iGive - online mall with many stores
2. Direct donation systems are a way for your group to ask for monetary donations that directly support the group. There are several providers of this service. The one that I like the best is FirstGiving because it is easy to use and very flexible. Direct donations are really best for charities rather than public school groups.
3. Online auctions are a fun way to raise funds and people love auctions anyway. While you could use eBay, the best online auction site for schools and charities is cMarket. Auctions are the most time consuming of all of these online fundraising options, taking more time to plan and volunteers to run it.

2. Set Up Your Website

You do not even have to have your own website to run an online fundraiser; the companies that provide these will provide a special site for you! Each of these sites have a step by step online set up and most of them are pretty fast and easy too.

When you sign up for the online fundraiser just have the following information on hand since this is what they will ask for:

1. Your organization name (As it will appear on checks)
2. Mailing address
3. Phone number

3. Promote Your Online Fundraiser

While it’s pretty easy to get started with an online fundraiser, the most important part is promoting it to your group!

1. Email. Many of the providers mentioned above have built in email promotion tools which are a big help. You will need to send at least one email to everyone in your group, but more than one is really best. If your online fundraiser has a deadline, send an email the day it starts, once during the midpoint and another two days before the deadline. Ask your members to forward emails to their friends.
2. Your website. Many charities and schools have their own website. Promote your online fundraiser with a link and banner on your home page and in the sidebar of all of your pages. Make it a prominent feature on your website, not buried at the bottom of the page!
3. Blogs. Ask your supporters to blog about your online fundraiser. If your group has its own blog you can post periodic updates about the program. This is especially good for online auctions as you can blog about new items and what the “hot” auction items are.
4. Old fashioned promos. So the first three promotional tools listed here are online, but don’t forget “real world” promotions! Give flyers to your supporters, place phone calls and make announcements at your meetings.

Ready?

Now if you are still a bit unsure about online fundraising, just start with the online shopping programs because those are the easiest to start. Just be sure to publicize it as much as possible so that it has the best chance of success.

This article is an entry into The Writers Manifesto contest