Relational organizing is often talked about in the context of voter engagement and persuasion, but the impact of mobilizing friends and family doesn’t stop there. In fact, relational organizing is also an extremely effective way to fundraise.
Many people have organized relationally to raise funds for a cause they care deeply about, whether via Facebook post or person-to-person contact. It’s the most authentic way to expand outreach, and fundraising teams can drive more donations by building a robust relational organizing program.
Here’s how to use relational organizing to fundraise:
Post on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media networks
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become an extension of our social landscape. So, it’s only natural for fundraising teams to leverage social media’s accessibility to drive donations from supporters and their networks.
Most platforms have tools that support donations through social media platforms, making it a popular option that requires little effort to get started. Nearly 20% of donors worldwide have donated through Facebook’s fundraising tool.
Fundraising teams can post to their Facebook or Instagram page and encourage supporters to directly share the content with their friends and family. Supporters can even craft their own posts and select their organization to receive donations to expand the organization’s reach instantly.
Encourage supporters to text, call, and email friends and family directly
One-to-one contact allows supporters to take a personalized approach to fundraising. At first, some supporters can find it daunting to reach out to their friends and family to fundraise. However, direct outreach can be easier than they think.
Teams learning how to use relational organizing can create initial and response messaging scripts to encourage supporters to conduct direct outreach. Scripts provide guidance for supporters unfamiliar with what to say and ensure consistency between outreach efforts and the organization’s messaging points.
To help supporters feel even more comfortable with direct outreach, fundraising teams should encourage supporters to customize the message to fit their own style. After all, the messages are coming from supporters themselves.
Direct outreach requires more effort and time than a simple social media blast, but the results can be more effective. Studies have shown that direct outreach to a friend or family member makes someone 8 times more likely to take action. Fundraising teams can recreate this success with their relational organizing programs!
Ask top volunteers to mobilize neighbors and community members for fundraising events
Aside from digital communication like texting and social media, fundraising teams can create in-person opportunities for supporters to engage with their network to fundraise. Relational organizing isn’t only about friends and family; supporters can reach out to others they know, like neighbors and community members.
Those deciding how to use relational organizing can collaborate with top volunteers who are willing to host fundraisers with their neighbors or community members. Community events like garage sales, bake sales, and family fun days are mutually beneficial for supporters and their communities. Everyone has fun, and donations go towards the organization!
Fundraising teams may want to provide additional support by grouping top volunteers that live within the same area, so multiple volunteers can team up to power the best fundraiser possible.
How to Use Relational Organizing with Impactive
At Impactive, relational organizing is in our DNA. It’s the easiest and most effective way to jumpstart action, and we have the tools to make fundraising seamless and scalable. Tools like Social Media Amplification, Friends and Family Messaging, and Teams and Leaderboards offer powerful support for fundraising teams and their supporters reaching out to their networks on and offline.
Learn more about how to use relational organizing to fundraise here.
