Well, maybe online fundraising is not new, but it certainly gives us the idea that online business can be established in many forms, including in non-profit arena.
We do know that non-profit organisations will always be related to fundraising activities. While they serve noble purposes, they do need fund to support their missions. Many – if not most – of them do ‘outsource’ fundraising activities to fundraiser companies to help them relieving some pressure off their fundraising activities.
Online fundraising raises the outsourcing to a step forward.
Online fundraising companies attract partners (or affiliates) to start online fundraising services. The companies equip partners with online tools, including secure credit card donations system, usually with no cost on the partners’ side.
To better explain this concept, let’s take one online fundraising company as a case study.
Online fundraising: A case study
StartRaising is a fundraising company established in 2007. It provides fundraisers a way to generate income by helping non-profit organisations to focus on their mission, instead of mingling on resource-consuming fundraising activities.
It is basically a win-win situation, really – Non-profit organisations receive the funds they need to pursue their mission, while online fundraisers receive a certain amount of income to compensate their fundraising activities.
StartRaising Members generate income from a 10% service fee (this is a common practice in fundraising.) StartRaising offers members a platform allowing them to create their own Fundraising Service for their Social and Business Networks while letting StartRaising to manage their accounts so that they can focus on the fundraising activities. – All of this is in exchange for $20 per month.
Not only the 10% service fee, a member receives $10 for every person joins StartRaising, and more – Pretty interesting proposition, in my opinion.
If you are interested in the concept and would like to join, I recommend you to visit StartRaising website to learn more.
The benefits of online fundraising
For non-profit organisations: As I mentioned above – non-profit organisations can focus on their mission, instead of fundraising.
For online fundraising companies: A strong business model allowing them to be a ‘marketplace’ for the non-profits and fundraisers to meet – They help speed up fundraising process while enjoying commissions and membership fees along the way.
For online fundraisers: A chance to get paid for something they are willing to do for free to support their favourite non-profit organisations.
Indeed – there always be a place for win-win collaboration, and such a place will always be beneficial and profitable :)
Ivan Widjaya
Online fundraising