About F20 Live

 

Nonprofits: identify a business partner.

 

Create an event.

 

Promote an event.

 

Host a Fundraising 2.0 event: raise money for the nonprofit and make money for the host business.

 

IT’S ALL ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER.

 

 

In today’s economy, the ability to translate consumer habits, emotions, aspirations, and rituals into effective and (hopefully) profitable campaigns and events is more challenging than ever.

 

Nonprofits are facing budget and resource shortages as well as decreases in actual charitable, monetary donations. Businesses are facing decreases in traffic and revenues, and many are being forced to lay off team members.

 

These challenges facing both nonprofits and businesses are interconnected, in that the financial drought and the associated consequences cascades into a unintentional “exodus” of donations and growth opportunities that nonprofits so badly need.

 

Do not fear. There is a solution. The solution is Fundraising 2.0.

 

Fundraising 2.0 speaks to solutions both nonprofits and businesses can implement to realize respective and mutual development goals.

Nonprofits provide businesses with enhanced brand imaging, messaging and publicity, as well as traffic and potential revenues. Nonprofits must use all available internal resources to maximize Partnership ROI. Nonprofits should consider multiple partnerships with multiple businesses, and utilize their databases, social networks, etc. to drive traffic to their partner business for fundraising event alliances.

Businesses provide nonprofits exposure to their own customers and marketing platforms. They can also often provide a venue, and often the requisite licensing, food, beverage, staffing, security, logistics, AV capabilities, ambiance and (as appropriate) activity and entertainment resources that fundraising events are “expected” to provide. Businesses should also consider multiple partnerships with multiple nonprofits, and also utilize their databases, social networks, etc. to drive traffic to their venues for fundraising event alliances.

 

Fundraising 2.0 is made up of three basic components:

 

Brandraising: The process of establishing and publicizing meaningful relationships between a business, their product or service offering, and a nonprofit partner. This is often referred to as Cause Marketing. It is important to consider a new moniker, or ar least a new operational definition, for the following reasons:

• Brandraising is an ACTION which requires ongoing efforts by all parties involved. Cause Marketing is a passive reference at a time when all parties involved must be inspired and working in “action mode.”

• A “brand” is easily defined as a promise. Promises are commitments that are expected to be delivered. This is key, as it assigns accountability and measurements to all parties, programs and promised.

 

 

Friendraising: The process of  establishing and enabling meaningful relationships between the business AND the nonprofit (as a unified brand) and prospective donors, volunteers and customers.

 

Successful Friendraising manifests as an increase in size and commitment to a given alliance (and associated offerings) between a business and a nonprofit. Accomplishing Friendraising is utterly inexpensive – but crucial to Brandraising and overall development. As inferred above, the requirements to compel prospective donors to action are higher these days due to the recession and ALSO due to the multitude of life circumstances competing for a prospective donor’s attention (from family to Facebook.) The personalization and focus on prospect habits, emotions, aspirations and rituals (as a means to engage in Friendraising) is also known as Experiential Marketing. 

 

Fundraising: In the 2.0 context, the focus of this term is not on the “what it is” – it’s on the “how it works.” Historically (and respectfully) the inherent limitations of nonprofit resources, budgets, etc. have dictated the ensuing pace and productivity of prospecting and taking in funds.

 

No more.

 

In the 2.0 context, the act of Fundraising will be synonymous with Event Marketing – a means to an end of donations for nonprofits and profits for businesses.

 

Let the Fundraising 2.0 begin!