Where can I find information on online fundraising?
Online fundraising generally refers to using the internet to raise money for your organization. Websites, blogs, email marketing, search engine optimization, Facebook, tweets, etc. are just some ways that potential donors and supporters can learn about you online.
The links below provide many trends and tips to help your nonprofit raise funds effectively online.
Research shows that you can significantly raise contributions by being transparent online about what your nonprofit does, where your money goes and how you evaluate your work. You can do that by earning a Seal of Transparency on your nonprofit's GuideStar profile.
If you do plan to raise funds online, you need to know about the Charleston Principles, which are non-binding guidelines that the National Association of State Charity Officials created to help states develop their own regulations for online fundraising. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) summarizes them as follows:
Organizations located outside of a particular state must register if they use their website to specifically target people in that state, or receive contributions from the state on a repeated and ongoing basis or a substantial basis through its website. The Principles don't specifically define "ongoing" or "substantial" -- that's left up to each individual state. Organizations should note that email solicitations automatically trigger registration requirements, just as a letter or fax would. What happens next with the Charleston Principles is currently unclear. States have not shown any special urgency to address this issue, but may begin to in the next couple of years.
See also our related Knowledge Base articles:
- Can a nonprofit organization do fundraising activities in multiple states?
- Where can I find nonprofit software reviews?
- What is crowdfunding?
Dive in to this topic with Candid courses:
- Tell Your Story: Reach Donors Using Your Free Candid Profile
Learn how to claim your nonprofit’s Candid profile and earn Seals of Transparency to amplify your nonprofit’s work and connect with potential supporters. - Digital Storytelling: How to Engage and Activate Your Supporters Online
Learn how to strategically leverage digital storytelling via social media channels to activate your nonprofit organization’s existing and prospective supporters.
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See spanish versionExplore resources curated by our staff for this topic:
Staff-recommended websites
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Staff pick
M+R Benchmarks
Online Fundraising & Engagement Benchmarks
M+R publishes annual benchmarking statistics for online fundraising, digital ads, text messaging, email messaging, social media, and web engagement.
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idealware
A Few Good Tools for Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
A breakdown of the tools which can be used for peer-to-peer fundraising.
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TechSoup
TechSoup is a nonprofit that helps fellow nonprofits and charities get the technology products and resources they need to operate at their full potential. Once registered and qualified with TechSoup, 501(c)(3) nonprofits can access donated and discounted products and services, including new software and high-quality refurbished hardware from over 50 partners like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Intuit, and Symantec. Since 1987, TechSoup and its partners have saved the nonprofit sector over $3.75 billion in IT costs. TechSoup also offers IT consulting services, plus free learning resources including articles, blogs, webinars, and community forums led by expert hosts.
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Harbor Compliance
Online Fundraising & The Charleston Principles
Provides information on the Charleston Principles and how to determine when charitable solicitation registration is required for internet fundraising.
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The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Online Giving Trends
Follow important developments in online fundraising with this data dashboard updated monthly. See which causes have raised the most, which parts of the country have contributed the most, how the frequency of giving correlates with amount given, and more. Compiled from Network for Good data.
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Venable LLP
Nonprofit Fundraising: Top Ten Things to Know about Charitable Solicitation Regulation
A November 4, 2014 article written by the law firm Venable LLP discusses whether raising funds online may require registering your nonprofit in other states, and what that entails.
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The Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN)
NTEN is the membership organization of nonprofit technology professionals. Its members and community share the common goal of helping nonprofits use all aspects of technology more effectively. NTEN creates industry-specific research, benchmarks, and real-world case studies that showcase the depth and breadth of technology’s potential to support nonprofit organizations of all sizes and cause areas. Both nonprofit staff and technology service providers connect through NTEN’s premier event, the Nonprofit Technology Conference, engage year-round in tailored educational programs and community events on and offline, and find inspiration in NTEN's popular publication, the NTEN: Change journal.
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AccurateLeads
Email Marketing Best Practices for Non-Profit Charities: Segmenting Mailing Lists
When it comes to email marketing, sending content that satisfies all of your subscribers can be a huge challenge. Email is inherently personal, making it incredibly difficult to convey a message that’s all-inclusive. And when your email seems irrelevant or ill-suited to your audience, you risk losing subscribers.
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Nonprofit Blog Exchange
News about the nonprofit blog exchange, nonprofit blogging, blogging, and nonprofit technology.
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National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO)
Charleston Principles
Organizations located outside of a particular state must register if their fundraising efforts specifically target people in that state, or if they receive contributions from the state on a substantial, repeated and/or ongoing basis.
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Convio
Advocacy and Marketing Best Practices for Nonprofits
Download a free guide and learn the secrets of nonprofit online fundraising, advocacy and email marketing that can help you find new constituents and turn them into long-term, loyal donors.
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Robert L. Weiner Consulting
Fundraising Technology Resources
Includes links to articles and resources about donor databases, email marketing, online fundraising, spam avoidance, technology planning, and related issues.
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Nonprofit Tech for Good
A social media and online communications blog for nonprofits by Heather Mansfield, author of Social Media for Social Good and Mobile for Good.
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Tech Impact
Nonprofit Technology Learning Center
Provides Consumer Reports-style reviews, articles, product comparisons, recommendations, case studies, and news about software of interest to nonprofits.