This document discusses digital fundraising strategies on social media. It recommends telling compelling stories about how donations will be used, sending pre-ask communications to notify potential donors, making the ask, thanking donors, celebrating fundraising milestones, and showing donors the impact of their gifts through stewardship. An example crowdfunding campaign at Cornell University is described that used these strategies through social media to engage volunteers, gain 1302 donors, and raise $114,584. Personal storytelling and communication plans were emphasized as key to successful digital fundraising.

1. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING
ON THE SOCIAL WEB

2. Hello.

3. Ashley Budd
@ashley_budd
Assistant Director, Social Media Strategy
Alumni Affairs & Development
Cornell University
ashleybudd.com

4. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING
ON THE SOCIAL WEB

5. Giving

6. Giving

7. Fundraising

8. Fundraising

9. Fundraising

10. Fundraising

11. Where does the
money go?

12. How does it
get there?

13. Who benefits?

14. What is the impact
of each dollar?

15. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING
STRATEGY

16. Observations

17. DIGITAL REVOLUTION

18. fundraising Evolution
Phone
Email
Mobile

19. Fundraising the the
digital world

30. Storytelling on the
Social Web

31. Email
Twitter
Facebook
Blogs

32. Crowdfunding
Case Study

33. Crowdfunding is not about a
having website. It’s about having
a digital fundraising strategy.

34. “It has to be personal.
If it’s not personal, it’s not
philanthropy, it’s a transaction.”
Martin Shell, VP for Development
Stanford University

35. Designing for Emotion
!
Rich Media Theory
& Storytelling

44. personal storytelling
+ communication plan
= winning
#casesmc

45. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story

46. Stories

47. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story
2.Send a pre-ask communication

48. YOUR ONLINE AUDIENCE SHOULD
NEVER BE SURPRISED WHEN
YOU ASK THEM FOR MONEY.
#casesmc

49. Pre-Ask
Tell the story and put them on notice.

50. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story
2.Send a pre-ask communication
3.Ask

51. Ask
They know the story. Connect them.

52. IT HAS TO BE PERSONAL.
IF IT’S NOT PERSONAL,
IT’S NOT PHILANTHROPY,
IT’S A TRANSACTION.
Martin Shell

53. Giving Platform
Where the gift is made & how the university interacts with the gift.
Where fundraisers and donors connect. In one place.

54. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story
2.Send a pre-ask communication
3.Ask & Thank

55. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story
2.Send a pre-ask communication
3.Ask & Thank
4.Celebrate milestones

57. Celebrate Milestones

58. DIGITAL FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
1.Tell the story
2.Send a pre-ask communication
3.Ask & Thank
4.Celebrate milestones
5.Tell the gift story

59. Stewardship
Best when it is unexpected and personal.

60. Get the donor close
to the impact.

61. Get the donor close
to the impact.
Where does the money go?
How does it get there?
Who benefits?
What is the impact of each dollar?

62. Digital
Stewardship

63. Digital
Stewardship

64. Digital
Stewardship

65. Digital
Stewardship

66. Digital
Stewardship

67. The Test
1 fundraiser = ~$500 toward campaign goal
Fundraiser = 1 online ambassador with 20 contacts
1. Send a pre-ask communication
2. Send the ask
3. Thank the donors
4. Celebrate milestones
Leadership team = 1 campus sponsor, 1 student, 1 alumni
1. Tell the story
2. Project manage
3. Tell the gift story

68. Results

69. Results
7 stories
192 volunteers
1302 donors
$114,584.00
!
!
!

70. Results
64% first-time donors
13% lapsed donors
27% young alumni
!
!
!

71. THANK YOU!

72. Q&A
ash265@cornell.edu
@ashley_budd
ashleybudd.com

73. Resources
Prince, Russ, and Karen File. 1994. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New
Approach to Cultivating Major Donors. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
!
Walter, Aaron. 2011. Designing for Emotion. A Book Apart
!
Cornell Crowdfunding Pilot Site: http://cornell.useed.net/
!
CASE Summer Institute for Educational Fundraising: http://case.org/